UTSA Libraries Adopt a Free Textbook Grants (Call opens 1/1/21)
UTSA Libraries welcomes submissions for Adopt a Free Textbook Faculty Grants. The grant is designed to support adoption and adaption of open educational resources in at least one course.
There are two types available:
- Individual: $1,000 for a faculty member to adopt a free textbook in one course
- Group: $1,500 - $7,000 (calculated based on number of students impacted) for faculty to adopt a free textbook in a course (minimum 3 instructor collaboration or all instructors for a course)
Award funds can be used for professional travel or to purchase materials/supplies. Recipients will work with staff from the UTSA Libraries to pay for travel or reimburse expenses. Funds may not be used as a salary supplement.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be the instructor of record in the course
- Grants are open to all faculty (including non tenure-track)
Selection Criteria
Applications will be judged by the following criteria:
- Number of students affected (based on average enrollment over the 2018-19 academic year)
- Current new textbook cost for the course
- D/F/W rate for the course (based on average over the 2018-19 academic year)
Grantee Expectations
Grantees will be expected to:
- Collaborate with a librarian to identify a free textbook (or other open materials) for their course.
- Adopt a free textbook for the identified course, replacing an existing textbook. For group grants, the free textbook should be used by a minimum of 3 instructors teaching the same course.
- Complete a course impact report that includes a final syllabus, assessment, student evaluations of the textbook, analysis and future plans based on findings, and anonymous data on grades, including D/F/W rates.
- Share their experience using a free textbook with colleagues by participating in an open educational resources workshop as a panelist.
- Commit to adopting a free textbook for the identified course for a minimum of four semesters, including the pilot semester.
Apply
Grant application deadline: March 16, 2020.
Apply for an individual grant
Apply for a group grant
THECB OER Grant Program Offered Annually
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board OER Grants are awarded to Texas core courses that utilize true Creative Commons licenses. Grants will be rewarded in two tiers. The development tier will reward up to $25,000 to develop or substantially improve one or more high-enrollment Texas core courses. The implementation tier will grant up to $5,000 to support the substantial redesign of one or more Texas core courses with OER. Application deadline is offered annually.
UTSA Office of Research Research Service Center grant staffers will work with faculty on the grant application process. Get in touch with your College’s designated grant staffer as soon as possible. Grant staffers will guide you through the process of submitting an intake form with basic information about the grant, and then entering more detailed information in UTSA’s CAYUSE grant management system, including the title of the grant, granting agency, abstract, deadline, budget, and more.
UTSA departments that you identify as collaborators in your application (UTSA Libraries, Online Learning, Teaching and Learning Services, etc.) can outline the various ways they provide support for your proposed project. Your designated grant staffer can help guide you through this process once you have identified collaborators.
The UTSA Libraries will provide support for THECB OER grants by:
- Conducting an initial OER discovery search to identify existing OER for potential adoption, adaptation, and redistribution
- Providing information on Creative Commons licenses for adoption and authoring
- Answering questions on the use of existing OER for use, adaptation, and redistribution
- Answering questions on copyright and fair use
- Outlining how the UTSA Libraries will provide support for faculty applicants
- Creating research guides for courses in support of grant work
For more information, please contact DeeAnn Ivie, UTSA Libraries Open Education Coordinator.