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Zero Textbook Cost Resources (ZTC/OER/LTC)

This guide provides information about ZTC and Open Educational Resources; including information on finding resources by discipline and creating OERs

News and Updates Archive

Greetings! As the Open Educational Resources Liaison for our college, it is my responsibility to share communications from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI). Please read on to learn about upcoming events and opportunities that are open to all.

This page provides copies of the ZTC and OER updates sent out to the MVC faculty.

Think Free @ MVC Updates

10/9/2024

Hello everyone,
Thank you all for spending a moment to learn about what's going on in ZTC. You can now also find OER articles from me in the Distance Education Newsletters! 
Don't forget to check our ZTC LibGuide for resources and info. We also have a student-facing ZTC LibGuide now.
Thanks to all your hard work, ZTC has been progressing swiftly at MVC. We've had some changes lately to course materials labeling and I put together this page on Assigning a Course Materials Label, with resources to help. If you have any questions about OER or ZTC, please feel free to reach out to me!
 
 
Updates from the World of ZTC:
  • The Course Materials Affordability Committee is meeting monday. We're always looking for new participants to attend our meetings! We're also still open for new applications for grants to convert your courses to ZTC. Email me for details.
  • The state is still offering (through December) substantial ZTC grants for unique program areas, particularly programs not on this cohort list.
  • New video ASL resources have been created by Melanie Nakaji at San Diego City College.
     
    •  
Upcoming Workshops:
 
Need help with OER? Feel free to reach out for help with finding OER materials, editing OER materials, or reviewing licensing terms. OERI also has discipline leads that we can put you in touch with, who can help in your discipline area.
 

 

8/22/2024

Hello everyone,

 

Welcome back for Fall!

Thank you for lending me your ears for a moment, for updates on OER and ZTC at MVC. 

Don't forget to check our ZTC LibGuide for resources and info. We also have a student-facing ZTC LibGuide now.

 

 

Updates from the World of ZTC:

  • The Course Materials Affordability Committee is meeting monday. We're always looking for new participants to attend our meetings! We're also still open for new applications for grants to convert your courses to ZTC. 
  • This Fall, 44.1% of MVC courses are ZTC! This is a significant increase (18 percentile) since last Fall! 
  • In the Spring, we completed a student ZTC focus group with 11 participants. Here are some key findings:
    • 36% reported enrolling in courses incorrectly labeled as ZTC
    • 64% reported experiencing stress getting textbooks for their course "It's stressful looking at prices"
    • 100% reported using laptops to read electronic textbooks
    •  

Upcoming Workshops:

 

Need help with OER? Feel free to reach out for help with finding OER materials, editing OER materials, or reviewing licensing terms. OERI also has discipline leads that we can put you in touch with, who can help in your discipline area.

4/29/2024

Hello everyone,

 

Thank you for lending me your ears for a moment, for updates on OER and ZTC at MVC. 

Don't forget to check our ZTC LibGuide for resources and info. We also have a student-facing ZTC LibGuide now. I've also created an Introduction to Open Andragogy Practices. 

 

As a reminder, CMAC is accepting applications for ZTC mini-grants to convert courses into ZTC. If you want to work on a project for Summer, we'll need these applications before May 16th (the final CMAC meeting is May 20th).

Also, there is a new phase of ZTC Grant funding opening today! There are two new grants we could apply for:

  • Acceleration II Grant. This is up to $200,000 per eligible program. It is intended for a ZTC pathway unique to a college or region, that has now already been awarded grant funds previously. Essetially, if your program is on this cohort list, then it doesn't qualify. If you think you'd like to apply for this grant to create or finish your program's ZTC path by Fall 2026, please email me.
  • OER Expansion Grant. This is up to $20,000 per course. The course must be within an existing ZTC pathway at the college. This is useful for existing ZTC pathways that want to update or convert another course to strengthen the pathway. This course must use or create an OER textbook.

 

Updates from the World of ZTC:

  • The CCCCO has completed a 2024 Report: Advancing Equity in Access, Support and Success through Burden-Free Instructional Materials. This report explains many of the burdens of traditional for-cost materials including those on student finances but also on administration. It also notes certain psychological burdens including the loss of personal power or autonomy in having to apply for aid programs to afford books, and the stress in dealing with administrative processes. Their task force produced a number of recommendations (some of these are shortened):
    • California State Legislation should revise the 50% law to count faculty directly advancing the adoption and scaling of OER efforts towards the "salaries of classroom instructors" line
    • California Community Colleges Board of Governors should adopt a resolution to strengthen equitable student learning and experience by prioritizing the reduction and elimination of instructional materials costs.
    • CCCCO should
      • Engage in joint advocacy for ongoing funding to support and sustain a system priority of burden free instructional materials
      • Ensure students have easy visibility into the full instructional materials costs prior to registration
      • Assess the need for and deploy technical assistance priorities to support cost-reduction goals including helping access and curate OER and providing graphic design support.
      • Review and update the Student Fee Handbook
    • District and college leaders should:
       
      • Develop local goals and action plans
      • Promote open pedagogy and OER adoption
      • College local data
      • Support the evolution of campus bookstores
         
  • MVC has a new OER Basics training course available for FLEX credit. This self-paced course overviews the basics of open education resources, Creative Commons licensing, copyright, and more. The Course Materials Affordability Committee (CMAC) has decided to make this (or comparable) training mandatory for receiving future grand funds for OER projects approved by the committee.
  • Lastly, I'm working to integrate LibreTexts ADAPT with Canvas, so that we can integrate its grading system with our Canvas gradebooks. 
     

Upcoming Workshops:

 

 

Need help with OER? Feel free to reach out for help with finding OER materials, editing OER materials, or reviewing licensing terms. OERI also has discipline leads that we can put you in touch with, who can help in your discipline area.

3/28/2024

Hello everyone,

 

Thank you for lending me your ears for a moment, for updates on OER and ZTC at MVC. 

Don't forget to check our ZTC LibGuide for resources and info. We also have a student-facing ZTC LibGuide now. I've also created an Introduction to Open Andragogy Practices. 

 

Today at 2 pm, I'm hosting a CMAC ZTC Mini Grants Q&A. Zoom link: https://rccd-edu.zoom.us/j/86007074358?pwd=1A01fjatk7TP2hYCclxxwp5ym7UCso.1 

One thing we want to reiterate is the importance of accurate ZTC and LTC course labeling on the course finder and schedule. This is a state requirement. If you find that your course is erroneously labeled, please contact your IDS to fix it! 

  • As a side note, if your course relies on library materials to be ZTC, please make sure the library is aware and has a sufficient quantity of materials for all students in all ZTC sections to have access. 

 

Updates from the World of ZTC:

  • CMAC has opened up applications for ZTC Mini Grants from our existing grant funds! You can view the application form and requirements here. 
  • Another ZTC grant opportunity is arising to receive $200,000 in grants. However, your program must be fairly unique within the college or region in order to apply. If you think your program might fit this description, please contact me! 
  • MVC is running ahead with ZTC grant projects. In Winter, 2024, MVC faculty completed two ZTC grant projects. We have another 4 ZTC projects progressing this semester! 
  • MVC is doing great in building our ZTC pathways. In Spring 2024, we have 277 ZTC course sections and 107 LTC course sections. ZTC courses now make up 34.54% of our course offerings! Considering all of our degree and certification paths, we have 17 completed ZTC pathways (according to course finder listings). We have another 13 degree pathways that just need 1 more ZTC course!
    • 14.29% of our degree pathways are ZTC!
  • MVC has a new OER Basics training course available for FLEX credit. This self-paced course overviews the basics of open education resources, Creative Commons licensing, copyright, and more. The Course Materials Affordability Committee (CMAC) has decided to make this (or comparable) training mandatory for receiving future grand funds for OER projects approved by the committee.
  • Lastly, I'm working to integrate LibreTexts ADAPT with Canvas, so that we can integrate its grading system with our Canvas gradebooks. 
  •  

New OER Titles:

Upcoming Workshops:

 

Need help with OER? Feel free to reach out for help with finding OER materials, editing OER materials, or reviewing licensing terms. OERI also has discipline leads that we can put you in touch with, who can help in your discipline area.

2/12/2024

Hello everyone,

Thank you for lending me your ears for a moment, for updates on OER and ZTC at MVC. 

Don't forget to check our ZTC LibGuide for resources and info. We also have a student-facing ZTC LibGuide now.

Updates from the World of ZTC:

  • LibreTexts has migrated to “Workbench” a new version of their UI for creating and editing OER projects. Learn more about Workbench.
  • MVC has received approved for Acceleration OER grants in Cybersecurity and Homeland Security. Our Psychology, Early Childhood Education, and Anthropology departments have also agreed to join OER collaboration cohorts across the state as a part of OER grants in their areas.
  • MVC has a new OER Basics training course available for FLEX credit. This self-paced course overviews the basics of open education resources, Creative Commons licensing, copyright, and more. The Course Materials Affordability Committee (CMAC) has decided to make this (or comparable) training mandatory for receiving future grand funds for OER projects approved by the committee.
    • This semester, CMAC will be reviewing a process for enabling faculty to apply for OER grants from the committee.
  • The ZTC Grant Program is offering support for developing ZTC Degree Pathways and projects. You can find information on their searching, licensing, and coaching help on the ZTCTAP website.

Upcoming Workshops:

Need help with OER? Feel free to reach out for help with finding OER materials, editing OER materials, or reviewing licensing terms. OERI also has discipline leads that we can put you in touch with, who can help in your discipline area.

1/4/2024

Hello everyone,

 

Thank you for lending me your ears for a moment, for updates on OER and ZTC at MVC. 

Don't forget to check our ZTC LibGuide for resources and info.

 

 

Updates from the World of ZTC:

  • I have created a new OER Sustainability template (Attached to this email). You can also find it on the ZTC LibGuide under Creating OERs in LibreTexts. This document can help anyone creating or maintaining a new OER, in tracking and keeping up with their updates.
  • Just over 25% of our Winter courses were either ZTC or LTC! If you need help finding OER books to convert your courses to ZTC, please reach out to me at daniel.wilson@mvc.edu for help searching for titles.
  • MVC has been approved for two different individual OER grant projects and three programs have joined into state-wide OER cohorts for additional OER funding.
 

Learn to Use LibreTexts:

 
  • LibreTexts is our partnered platform for creating and hosting Open Education Resouces. It integrates easily with Canvas and has the largest searchable collection of OER titles. Learn more about LibreTexts.

Upcoming Workshops:

 

Need help with OER? Feel free to reach out for help with finding OER materials, editing OER materials, or reviewing licensing terms. OERI also has discipline leads that we can put you in touch with, who can help in your discipline area.

11/27/2023

Hello everyone,

Thank you for lending me your ears for a moment, for updates on OER and ZTC at MVC. 

Don't forget to check our ZTC LibGuide for resources and info.

Updates from the World of ZTC:

  • MVC has phenomenal results from our ZTC and LTC efforts in Fall 2023:
    • 6,443 students enrolled in ZTC courses and 3,083 enrolled in LTC courses (using duplicated headcounts) .
      • This amounts to an estimated textbook savings of $798,450 (using a standard estimate of $100 in textbook costs per course) .
    • MVC has been awarded $24,196 in grant funds for OER in homeland security.
    • MVC has been awarded $17,500 in grant funds for OER in cybersecurity.
  • The Course Materials Affordability Committee will soon be calling for applications for faculty to receive $500 in compensation for taking a new OER training course during Winter 2023. This training course is online, asynchronous, and completed at your own pace.
  • The CCCCO is calling for most other non-funded acceleration grant programs to participate in discipline cohorts to receive additional OER funding.

New OER Titles:

Upcoming Workshops:

Need help with OER? Feel free to reach out for help with finding OER materials, editing OER materials, or reviewing licensing terms. OERI also has discipline leads that we can put you in touch with, who can help in your discipline area.

10/5/2023

Hello everyone,
Thank you for lending me your ears for a moment, for updates on OER and ZTC at MVC.
Updates from the World of ZTC:
  • MVC has applied for $145,888 for the CCCCO Acceleration Grant, to fund OER projects. 
    • We proposed six projects. Currently, one of those proposals (Cybersecurity) has been approved for $17,500. We're waiting on updates on the others. 
    • Our other proposals are in Psychology, Communication Studies, Early Childhood Education, History, and Homeland Security. 
    • At least thirty-seven colleges submitted for one or more Acceleration grant
  • The Course Materials Affordability Committee is meeting soon (10/16 @ 12:50) and can always use your input! We will soon be reviewing a proposal on spending the $165,000 in CCCCO Implementation Grant funds that we have for building ZTC pathways. 
  •  LibreTexts, our new OER repository platform, is having an October LibreFest event (Oct 23-24) to provide training and discussion on their platform resources. If you're interested in attending virtually, you can use this code for free registration: 4iCCa1PXZ3
  • There has been a lot of discussion about Publisher "Inclusive Access" lately. Here is a website where you can learn more about it: inclusiveaccess.org.
New OER Titles:
Upcoming Workshops:
Need help with OER? Feel free to reach out for help with finding OER materials, editing OER materials, or reviewing licensing terms. OERI also has discipline leads that we can put you in touch with, who can help in your discipline area.
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