Textbook Affordability Summer Symposium 2021

UPDATE, June 2021:
 

Sixteen CSU faculty participated in our second Textbook Affordability Summer Symposium, which included completion of learning modules, reviewing an open, library-licensed, or low cost textbook, and a commitment to either adopt or create open resources in at least one course. Participating faculty received a $600 stipend, funded by the Provost’s Office, for their participation. Four faculty have already adopted affordable resources as a result of their work in the symposium.

TASS is sponsored by the Provost’s Office, and is a collaboration between staff in the Michael Schwartz Library, Center for eLearning, Center for Faculty Excellence, Center for Instructional Technology and Distance Learning.

See what past participants have to say about their experiences in the program.

Open Ed Week Day 2: 
Textbook Affordability Summer Symposium

Are you interested in reducing the cost and increasing ease of access for your course materials, but you’re unsure where to start?  

Are you curious what people mean when they talk about open education or open textbooks?

Do you find it difficult to change textbooks because you work with a team of instructors to teach a high enrollment course?  

If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider applying for CSU’s Textbook Affordability Summer Symposium! Participants will receive a $600 stipend. 

What: a program to help faculty consider and use openly-licensed or other affordable course content 
When: May 10-28; asynchronous; 4-6 hours of work  
Where: Blackboard 
Who: Any full-time or part-time CSU faculty are welcome to apply 
How: Fill out our application form by April 9th

How does the program work? 

Step One: By April 9th, complete and submit your application form and submit the syllabus for the course in which you are interested in using an OER. 

Step Two: If you are selected to participate, CSU Librarians will review your syllabus and map suggested openly-licensed, affordable, or library-licensed content to syllabus topics.  

Step Three: From May 10-28th, participants will engage in the Textbook Affordability Summer Symposium on Blackboard/Zoom. Participants will explore the basics of open education, review an open access or low cost resource, learn how to align course content with learning outcomes, and reflect on advocating for affordable or open access course materials in the future. There are four modules of content, each of which should take 1-2 hours to complete. 

As part of the training, each participant will: 

• Attend at least one synchronous Zoom discussion session (out of 2-3 options).
• Review at least one openly-licensed, library-licensed, or low-cost resource in their discipline (preferably one found in the Open Textbook Library) by May 28th, 2021. 
• Create a curriculum map to align the open access or low cost resource to their course.
• Write a short report outlining how they will take action to implement the use of the openly licensed content across all sections/semesters of the course in their department.

Step Four: After the training, each participant will: 

• Use at least one openly-licensed, library-licensed, or low-cost resource (required or optional) in a course they are teaching in Fall 2021 or Spring 2022 OR create and use openly licensed ancillary materials (e.g., quiz questions, PowerPoint slides, etc.) for a course they are teaching in Spring 2022 or Fall 2022.
• Speak at a future open textbook workshop or talk offered by the Center for Faculty Excellence, Michael Schwartz Library, or other institution, if approved.

Each participant will receive a $600 stipend for participating in the symposium.  

The following applicants will receive special consideration: 

• Multiple faculty teaching the same course 
• Faculty teaching high enrollment courses or gateway courses 

Faculty who have already received a Textbook Affordability Grant or participated in a previous Textbook Affordability Summer Symposium will not be eligible to participate, but participants in the Summer Symposium are eligible and encouraged to apply for future Textbook Affordability grants. 

See what past participants have to say about their experiences in the program.