A landmark report, published this month, identifies open educational resources (OER) as a high-impact practice (HIP). This designation places OER alongside other impactful teaching and learning practices, such as learning communities, internships, and undergraduate research, which provide significant educational benefits for students, particularly those from historically underserved populations.
The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) study analyzed approximately 700,000 student records from 15 institutions, in addition to survey and focus group data from more than 200 instructors. The key findings demonstrate that:
- OER implementation was associated with lower course withdrawal rates
- “A” grades increased following OER implementation
- Improved time-to-completion for students taking OER-supported courses
The Local Impact: Open Education at PSU
The AAC&U report highlights the importance of institutional support for successful OER implementation. At PSU, we are committed to advancing OER implementation through strong partnerships and support services. Open education at PSU is a collaborative effort driven by the Library, the Office of Academic Innovation (OAI), and our collaboration with the state-funded initiative Open Oregon Educational Resources. Together, we provide support for adapting existing OER to improve students’ learning experiences, train faculty members how to use the open textbook publishing platform Pressbooks, and assist faculty with integrating open materials in their courses.
Relaunching PDXOpen
Between 2013 and 2022, the Library’s grant-based open education initiative, PDXOpen, empowered faculty to adopt, adapt, or create customized open materials. To date, the Library has supported the publication of over 40 Open Educational Resources across a diverse range of disciplines. Since its inception, the program has saved nearly 7,000 PSU students over $1 million in textbook costs.
Following a brief hiatus, we are excited to announce that the Library will relaunch the PDXOpen grant program in Spring 2027. The call for proposals will be announced and shared with faculty through the Library Newsletter, and information about how to apply also will be posted on the PDXOpen website.
How the Library Can Support Your OER Journey
Open Scholarship Librarian, Julia Stone, provides one-on-one faculty consultations and presentations for departmental meetings about open education. Julia can also assist with:
- Finding, adopting, or adapting OER for your course
- Navigating open licensing and copyright questions
- Ensuring your OER meet digital accessibility standards
- Providing open-access publishing support
Ready to get started? Contact Julia Stone (julia.stone@pdx.edu) or visit the Library’s OER LibGuide to learn more.