Virginia's Academic Library Consortium

Course Mapping Project Task Force

Background

Identification and discovery of appropriate, high quality, open educational resources (OER) is a significant challenge for faculty and is often a barrier to adoption. Competing demands may not allow faculty time to sufficiently explore and review new course materials that could reduce the cost burden many students encounter during their post-secondary education. Some faculty also express confusion around what OER specifically entail and are unaware that they may be printed and/or purchased in print format, or that they may include critical ancillary materials, such as test banks. What's more, some departments require faculty to employ the same course materials for introductory courses to ensure that students receive a consistent, foundational education. In light of these considerations, identification and adoption of OER may be overlooked or dismissed as too burdensome.

Charge

In an attempt to support faculty in the discovery and identification of open curricular materials, the VIVA OER Course Mapping Project Task Force will develop a listing of OER aligned with high enrollment and Transfer Virginia courses in Virginia higher education institutions. The focus on these courses maximizes the potential for student savings and provides an opportunity to enhance equitable resource access to a broad spectrum of students across VIVA's membership.  The Task Force will also record subject disciplines that they find are insufficiently represented by existing OER to support targeted future OER creation in Virginia.

Task Force Members

Hillary Miller (Chair)
Virginia Commonwealth University

Paula Kiser
Washington & Lee University

Darnell Law
Virginia State University

Jenise Overmier
Marymount University

Olivia Reinauer
Tidewater Community College

Lynn Riggs
Reynolds Community College

Sophie Rondeau
Virtual Library of Virginia

Stephanie Westcott
Virtual Library of Virginia