Columbia State has successfully secured $49,000 in funding for two separate grant initiatives that involve faculty members from three universities within the Tennessee Board of Regents system. This financial support will facilitate the creation of pilot courses for two Open Educational Resources (OER) grants, set to launch in the Spring 2025 semester. The OER grant program is designed to empower faculty teams to revamp existing courses that currently rely on commercially published textbooks, transitioning them to utilize OER materials instead.
The shift to OER not only enhances accessibility by making educational resources more affordable, but it also allows educators to tailor their teaching materials to better align with specific learning outcomes. This personalization can significantly boost student engagement and performance, as instructors can select tools that best fit their unique teaching methodologies. Through these initiatives, Columbia State aims to foster a more inclusive and effective learning environment for its students.