OER Digest – September 26, 2025
THE OER DIGEST
Your monthly newsletter for open education updates, opportunities, and reminders
OPEN CONNECTIONS
Conferences, jobs, and other OER-related opportunities
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING: ISKME is thrilled to invite instructors, facilitators, and support staff at K-12 and Higher Education Institutions to build their knowledge and utilize tools and resources to ensure that accessibility is intentionally addressed so that all learners can reach their full potential. The OER Instructors Building a Path to Accessibility series launches October 6th and includes six virtual sessions to closely examine existing OER content and make plans for future OER development and implementation. Learn more and register here.
RESEARCH: The latest 2024-25 survey results from Bay View Analytics reveal a continued shift towards digital resources in higher education classrooms. The data show that faculty are increasingly adopting online courses and digital materials, with significant growth in the use of Open Educational Resources (OER).
SHOWCASE: OEGlobal would like to invite the open community to their OEGlobal Tour: Snapshots of Open Education from around the world. The OEGlobal Tour is a 4-day online showcase that brings together a vibrant and diverse global community to explore, celebrate, and advance open education worldwide.This initiative serves as a dynamic journey through various regions, showcasing the invaluable experiences and contributions of open educators who are making an impact in their local contexts.
WEBINAR SERIES: The exciting CCCOER Fall Sessions for 2025 have been announced! This year, CCCOER is introducing two new webinar formats in addition to the traditional ones. CCCOER Director, Heather Blicher, explains that her approach to webinar planning is shaped by new perspectives, current events, and feedback from the community, as outlined in her recent article on the CCCOER website. Learn more and register for this series.
WEBINAR: Open Oregon Educational Resources invites you to join their Open Curriculum Project’s Virtual Launch Party to showcase the development of openly licensed course materials with an equity lens in Human Development and Family Studies, Sociology, and Criminal Justice. Open Oregon Educational Resources will celebrate the hard work, commitment, and care demonstrated by the hundreds of people who contributed to these projects.
PODCAST: Whether you’re seeking fresh ideas, practical guidance, or inspiring stories about open education, Open-Ed Mic is your go-to podcast. Listen to the latest episode where Liliana Diaz shares her journey with open educational resources (OER). The episode explores how OER has grown from a cost-saving strategy to a driver of student success, the role of course markings and data, and why educators remain committed to open education.
WORKSHOP: LibreTexts is hosting a FREE OctoberFest workshop on October 27, the day before the OpenEd 25 conference begins. If you are unable to join live, they are also offering a hybrid option. Learn more and register here.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES: The Open Education Network is hiring an Executive Director, the University of Massachusetts - Amherst is hiring an Open Education Librarian and the University of Texas A&M is also hiring an Open Education Librarian. If you would like to see a variety of jobs related to open education you can view the Open Education Jobs board.
STORIES FROM THE FIELD
Quick snapshots of those making change on the ground level, and those impacted
FROM OHIO: Ohio University Libraries is proud to announce the Zero Cost Textbook (ZCT) Program. The ZCT will lower the cost of higher education for OHIO students by replacing commercial textbooks with Open Educational Resources and library-licensed content. On average, students spend $1,250 annually on textbooks. Textbook costs have a significant impact on student success and well-being. Read More >>
FROM WASHINGTON: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges is pleased to share the outcome of the Washington Open ProfTech project: six open textbooks for professional technical programs: Introduction to Criminal Justice, Introduction to Early Childhood Education, Introduction to Healthcare Professions, Introduction to Hospitality, Introduction to Machining, and Introduction to Welding. These publications were made possible through a $1.8 million FIPSE grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Read More >>
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Each edition, we highlight an interesting, new, openly-licensed resource
Emphasizing a Student-Centered Process: Open Pedagogy Course Assessments Across Disciplines showcases how Open Educational Practices (OEP) empower students as active contributors to knowledge creation. Contributors share practical strategies for implementing open pedagogy in diverse disciplines — from engineering and communication to interdisciplinary research and campus-wide initiatives.
Mastering Mandarin Sounds by Huiqiang Zheng is an OER designed to help learners develop accurate pronunciation in Mandarin Chinese. The pressbook incorporates multimedia features such as interactive exercises, audio recordings, and instant feedback to guide students through the foundational elements of Mandarin phonetics—including initials, finals, tones, tone sandhi, and common pronunciation challenges.
Civil Engineering Tools: Concepts, Applications, and Question Bank by Ramteja Sajja, Yusuf Sermet, and Ibrahim Demir is a Civil Engineering Tools OER designed for undergraduate and graduate students, educators, and early-career professionals in civil engineering and related disciplines. This resource introduces essential software tools and methodologies used in civil engineering practice, including AutoCAD Civil 3D, ArcGIS, Mathcad, Microsoft Excel, and Generative AI technologies.
Teaching Nonfiction Writing by Bonnie S. Sunstein and Jessie Kraemer is an open resource that includes syllabi and other teaching resources for teachers (or curious learners) of creative nonfiction writing. This Pressbook will be regularly updated with new material for educators in an ever-evolving genre.
WEIGH IN
Great reads to repost or share and interesting discussions to consider
PALNI receives $1.34 million Lilly Endowment grant to enhance PALSave affordable learning program
College Textbooks: Wall Street’s New Cash Cow | Jacobin
More Faculty Assign Digital Textbooks, Teach Online Classes Post-Pandemic | Inside Higher Ed
Have suggestions for the next edition? Let us know at oerdigest@gmail.com.
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