Through creative use of Open Access Resources faculty can transform classes while saving students money. The tabs above provide interested faculty with select resources for their discipline.
Open educational resources (OER) are freely accessible, openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets that are useful for teaching, learning, and assessing as well as for research purposes. It is the leading trend in distance education/open and distance learning.
A 2017 presentation by Robin DeRosa on her experience using OERs to transform classes generated a lot of faculty interest. See this presentation (approx. 80 min) and slides.
Open Access Textbooks
Textbooks have always been expensive, but the cost of textbooks has risen over 800% in the last 8 years. The Libraries and University Bookstore support faculty moving to open access, online textbooks. Many sources exist, while faculty are encouraged to produce their own textbook and place it in USM's Digital Commons for open access to everyone.
Print Textbooks
With the increasing cost of textbooks, USM has created the Textbooks on Reserve program. USM Libraries has one copy of most 100 and 200-level textbooks and copies of some upper-level textbooks on reserve. Check with the library of the campus where the class taught.
Faculty are encouraged to help the library expand its collection of textbooks and keep that collection current by donating a copy of current textbooks
Open Access Collections
Lesson Plans
Sample open access lesson plans from a variety of sources. CTEL and USM Librarians welcome the opportunity to locate other lesson plans that meet your specific needs.
Want to create your own course materials? The University of Southern Maine has Instructional Design and Support staff who can help you design and create the course materials that will work best for you.
The sources listed below offer a range of materials for use and remix. They include textbooks, lesson plans, full courses, and more.