OER Grant Program @ UNM

Application Form

The application form for this program will be accessible only to UNM employees. 

• To apply check back in mid-summer for a link to the Open Textbook Pilot Grant Application.
• Before you submit your documents, consider meeting with the OER Librarian for a consultation or attend an informational session. 

You can also receive program updates by sharing your email address and joining our mailing list. We'll keep you informed of OER initiatives and events at UNM!

The University of New Mexico Open Textbook Pilot Program is designed to support faculty with the adoption, adaptation, and creation of OER materials into their courses as a way to increase student success. OER work, particularly OER authorship and development, can require additional effort on the part of instructors, so this program was created to support their work.

This program aims to: 

• Encourage the development of alternatives to high-cost textbooks by supporting the adoption, adaptation, or creation of OER.
• Provide support to faculty to implement these approaches. 
• Lower the cost of college for students in order to contribute to their retention, progression, and graduation.
• Encourage faculty to engage in new pedagogical models for classroom instruction.
• Develop a Community of Practice surrounding OER integration.

Faculty interested in participating in the Open Textbook Pilot (OTP) at UNM can complete the following directions:

• Read through the OER Grant Program libguide.
• Consider consulting with your subject librarian, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the OER Librarian in the development of your proposal for guidance.
• Propose a realistic, well-planned, and innovative project that has clearly outlined rationale and desired outcomes. Proposals can be submitted by an individual, team, or department.
• Compile all application elements into one PDF: cover page, letter of support, project overview, budget, and timeline.  
• Proposals should be submitted by October 1. The OER Grant Selection Committee will review proposals and contact awardees by November 15. 

Informational Sessions

Faculty interested in applying will be able to attend any of the three online informational sessions hosted by the OER Librarian. The first two sessions will be informational about OER in general and this program specifically. The final session will be held in a Q&A format for interested applicants. More details on the dates and times will be listed on the website during the summer of 2024

Down below, you will find a recording of the first OER Informational Session on August 30th.

Purpose

To support faculty development and integration of quality, open-access materials into UNM courses. The sections below describe the types of fundable OTP Projects. In addition to these descriptions, you can also determine the scope of your project, using the information located on the OER Scoping and Workflow page. 

Types of Fundable OTP Projects

The following types of projects may be submitted for funding.    

Adopt –

Where an existing open textbook or course materials is available for adoption and can be integrated into a UNM course without significant revision or additions. Faculty will integrate the newly adopted materials, similar to adopting and integrating any new textbook into an existing UNM course, but without publisher support.    

• Supplementary and ancillary materials not supplied with the textbook may be acquired from other sources and compiled and/or be composed as needed. 

Adapt –

Where a single suitable textbook or course materials is not available to meet the needs of a course, but multiple existing texts or sets of OER materials can be adapted, combined, compiled and integrated into a course, as above, with slight to moderate changes to the original content.  

• Some editing and/or original writing may be required for successful integration.  
• Supplementary and ancillary materials not supplied with the textbook may be acquired from other sources and compiled and/or be composed as needed. 

Create –

Where suitable texts or existing materials cannot be readily adapted, combined, compiled, and integrated into an existing course, without significant modifications or additions. Faculty may develop a textbook or course materials to meet the needs of a course by: 

• adapting, combining, synthesizing or compiling content from multiple sources to create a cohesive text or set of course materials* 
• adapting or creating necessary supplemental and ancillary materials required for success of the course instructor and students  
• contributing significant original writing as required to introduce, contextualize and connect original source materials 

OER Grant Program @ UNM by Jennifer Jordan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.