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OER/ZTC Certificate

Information about an opportunity for UAA and APU faculty to learn about and explore open educational resources (OER) and other zero-cost (ZTC) course materials.

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Affiliated with UAA? Enroll yourself and get started!

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Affiliated with APU? Contact D'Arcy Hutchings (dlhutchings@alaska.edu) to enroll.

Program Description

Faculty who are aware of open educational resources (OER) and OER initiatives like UAA Textbook Affordability are more likely to make the switch from commercial materials to OER or other zero-cost course materials (or ZTC, the acronym for "zero textbook cost") (Spilovoy, et al.). The goal of this Certificate program is to increase awareness of OER/ZTC and ensure faculty have the essential knowledge needed to successfully transition courses to OER/ZTC -- all with the smallest time commitment and maximum flexibility possible -- in an effort to increase the number of ZTC courses at UAA and APU. You can preview program content on the Curriculum tab.

You may be eligible to receive a $300 award for successful completion of the OER/ZTC Certificate program. See more information below.

Who Can Participate

Note: Funding for completion for FY 2024-2025 is unclear. If you would like to be notified if funding becomes available, contact D'Arcy Hutchings. Regardless of funding, you may still complete the program and receive a certificate!

This program was designed for faculty of all ranks, types, and disciplines who teach one or more courses at UAA or APU. That said, UAA and APU staff and faculty who do not teach may find value in completing the program, particularly if they provide any support to teaching faculty in the areas of textbook selection, creation of course materials, course design, etc.

Everyone who completes the Certificate program will receive recognition for completion (e.g., digital or print certificate of completion; letter of recognition; name listed on this website). However, to be eligible for the $300 award upon completion, you must be:

  • Tenure-track, tenured, or non-tenure-track faculty; or a pre-approved staff member or adjunct faculty member **
  • A current employee at UAA (any campus) or APU when you complete the certificate and when the award is distributed through payroll (may be up to 6-8 weeks after official completion date; if you will be off contract at the time of payment but have a contract signed for the following semester, you will still receive payment) AND
  • Someone who has not participated in either of the following programs: Textbook Affordability Fellows (formerly Textbook Transformation Fellows), Textbook Affordability Mini-Grants.

** In circumstances where a staff member or adjunct faculty member plays an influential role in course materials selection or development, they may also be considered for a funded award for Certificate completion. Contact D'Arcy Hutchings for consideration.

Timeline

You can complete the Certificate program at any time.

Note: Funding for FY 2024-2025 is unknown. If you wish to receive payment (see eligibility restrictions above), the Certificate program must be successfully completed by May 15. Eligible participants must successfully complete the program by the deadline for payment to be guaranteed.

We strongly recommend completing the Certificate requirements well in advance of the deadline in case any revisions to the submissions are deemed necessary.

Program Leadership, Partners, and Funding

This program was developed by UAA Textbook Affordability co-chairs D'Arcy Hutchings (Associate Professor, Library) and Dr. Veronica Howard (Associate Professor, Psychology) with assistance from Zoe Dietz (student employee). It is managed by D'Arcy Hutchings. This work complements the Alaska Open Education Initiative, a UAA Textbook Affordability project funded by U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). The core structure of this program was inspired by the UAA Online Teaching Certificate program by Kathryn Schild.

Funding for the Certificate awards is provided by the UAA/APU Consortium Library using funds earmarked for textbook affordability efforts.

Contact Me

Profile Photo
D'Arcy Hutchings
Contact:
Instructional Design & Open Education Librarian,
Associate Professor
dlhutchings@alaska.edu
907.786.1982