Call for Proposals: Open Educational Resources Course Materials Conversion Program

Viktor Forgacs, via Unsplash

Each semester, the University of Arkansas Libraries and Global Campus offer faculty compensation to reduce the cost of textbooks for their students by using Open Educational Resources. The Fall 2022 call for proposals is now open, and an information session will be offered for those wanting to learn more.   

The virtual presentation An Introduction to Open Educational Resources is set for noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20. It will provide information on the practice of using open educational resources in the classroom, locating open materials for classroom use, understanding copyright and licensing, and joining the growing OER community. 

Faculty can apply to the Course Materials Conversion Program to receive extra compensation. Successful applicants can receive $3,000 for adopting open educational resources, $4,500 for adapting existing open educational resources or $7,500 for creating their own. Visit the Open Educational Resources webpage to learn more about the program and the differences between these three options.  

"The Global Campus supports this U of A initiative to reduce the cost of textbooks while ensuring high-quality materials for students," said Cheryl Murphy, vice provost for distance education. "We believe investing in faculty is key to fostering teaching innovation and student success."  

Potential participants may find the application on the OER Course Materials Conversion Program website and will have until Oct. 19 to complete applications. Submitted project applications are reviewed and scored by the Open Educational Resources team and the campus advisory group. Consultations may be requested at any time in the process. 

"We are excited to invite faculty once again to participate in the OER Course Materials Conversion Program," said Lora Lennertz, interim open education librarian. "This program supports faculty in their efforts to adopt and create innovative teaching resources while also being mindful of the costs associated with student classroom participation and learning. We welcome those interested in joining our growing OER community at the University of Arkansas." 

The OER Course Materials Conversion Program began providing funding to faculty in 2017. Since then, over 8,000 students have benefited from the reduced cost of course materials.