The Open Educational Resources (OER) in Texas Statewide Playbook is a resource developed by practitioners and advocates actively involved in the labor of open education to guide new and expanding OER work at institutions of higher education. The Playbook is the result of partnerships between the Division of Digital Learning, the Institution for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME) – creators of OER Commons and experts in open education practice and research – and faculty, librarians, staff, and administrators from institutions and systems across Texas. It aims to support institutions as they work to build capacity and drive systems change around OER. It also serves as a guiding document for institutions that have not yet engaged in OER work or taken advantage of existing programs and opportunities. The hope is that the Texas OER Playbook will serve as a companion on the journey towards OER awareness and advocacy at your institution.
Course Sharing
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) launched a statewide Course Sharing pilot this fall, 2023. The pilot aims to increase access to online courses for students enrolled in Texas institutions of higher education, as recommended in the Texas Commission on Community College Finance Report to the 88th Legislature. The passing of House Bill 8 provides a path for programs like course sharing to expand interinstitutional collaboration, institutional partnerships, and shared services that reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.
Following the pilot period, an institutional guide will be created to help optimize the growth of this exciting program. The Guidebook will provide institutions with an overview of the program so they can make an informed decision as to whether the institution would benefit from participation. If it is decided they would like to become a participating member in the program, it will also guide them through the process of becoming an active participant.
The Course Sharing toolkit is coming soon.