Open Educational Resources (OER)

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The Affordability and Equity grant program, sponsored by the Jefferson Trust and offered by the University of Virginia Library, will provide support to faculty who want to adopt, adapt, or create open educational resources (OER).

2023-24 is the second year of a two-year pilot program; projects will be selected through a competitive process.

OER are teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use and re-purposing by others.  Open resources have the potential to provide equitable access to knowledge, drive down student costs, and create a more inclusive learning environment.

Projects will be selected through a competitive process with applications accepted on a rolling basis.  Expect awards to be announced about four weeks after submission.

The awards, which will be given as either taxable summer wages or as research funds, will be given in three categories:

1. Adopt a resource:  $1000*

   • Intended for faculty who would like to adopt an existing resource for their course, revising their syllabi and lesson plans.

2. Adapt (edit or augment) a resource:  $2500*

   • Intended for faculty who would like to make significant changes or additions to an existing resource. Examples of adaptation include customizing, updating, or localizing a resource; combining existing resources with changes; adding interactivity; developing ancillary resources (such as quiz questions, slides, etc.) for an existing work; adapting an open data set.

3. Create a resource: $5000

   • Intended for faculty who would like to create a brand-new resource (in any format that allows for free use and repurposing) where an acceptable open alternative does not exist.

   • We recognize that the creation of a new textbook is time-consuming and challenging.  If your project involves textbook creation, please identify the part that you will be able to complete under this grant and how you will test it or use it in class. Proposers of large projects will be eligible to apply for a second year of funding in 2023.

Up to $1000 in student funding will also be available for all "adapt" and "create" projects. 

We welcome proposals from those whose adoption, adaptation, or creation of OER predates this announcement. 

*Faculty who intend to adopt or adapt a resource should select that resource in advance of submitting an application.  For help in discovering a relevant work, consult with your subject librarian or contact Judith Thomas at judith.thomas@virginia.edu or Bethany Mickel at bethanym@virginia.edu

Eligibility

This program is open to anyone holding a faculty appointment at the University of Virginia who is teaching a two-, three-, or four-credit course.

Selection criteria

• Demonstrated need for adoption, adaptation, or use of OER
• Benefits to students
• Extent of curricular impact (e.g., single or multiple, one-time or repeated courses; effect on departmental curriculum).
• Alignment with institutional, school, or departmental goals for diversity, equity, or inclusion.

Expectations of faculty

• Pre-submission:

  • Select your resource if you are planning to submit an “adopt” or “adapt” proposal (contact your liaison, Judith Thomas, or Bethany Mickel for help)

• Post-award:

  • Implementation of OER: Aim to integrate the OER in whole or part within 18 months of grant award.

  • Participation: Attend OER workshops or consult with experts.

  • Classroom Usage: Ensure the work is utilized as intended in the year following completion.

  • Rights Clearance: Clear all rights related to your work.

  • Licensing: Choose a Creative Commons license, preferably CC-BY.

  • ADA Compliance: Ensure ADA-compliant materials.

  • Repository Upload: Upload your work to UVA’s repository, Libra.

  • Acknowledgment: Mention the grant program and the Jefferson Trust in external communications.

  • Final Report: Reflect on the project and outcomes and submit it to the Library.

  • Sharing Experiences: Share your project's journey with the recipient cohort or a local audience.

What the Library will do

• Help with discovery of existing content (in advance of your proposal).
• Provide training in copyright and licensing.
• Provide technical and instructional design support in recommended technologies for authoring and disseminating content.
• Help with project design and management.
• Help with ADA compliance.
• Provide a forum for local presentations.
• Provide the framework for a local community of interest around open education.
• NOTE: This is a pilot project!  Library staff will be learning alongside faculty.

Faculty may apply for funding to support more than one project.  However, the total disbursement to any one faculty member (including funding for student wages) is $6,000. Repeat proposals from individual faculty will be weighed against other programmatic needs. 

For further information

Review this guide for more information about OER at UVA.  For an individual consultation, contact Judith Thomas or Bethany Mickel.

Learn about funded projects.

APPLY NOW