Open Educational Resources

Open educational resources (OER) are educational materials distributed at no cost and that have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use and re-­purposing by others. OER include full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and other materials. For more information see the libguide Open Educational Resources at Connecticut College or contact Jessica McCullough, Director, Research Support & Curricular Technology, jmccull1@conncoll.edu.

Use of open educational resources will enable students to have access to dynamic learning tools and a rich academic experience at a cost that will ease the financial burden of our students, encourage full participation and help them thrive academically.

  • Lowering the total cost of education.Using OER materials instead of costly textbooks reduces educational costs.This program will support Connecticut College’s strategic priority toward financial strength and exploring new ways to make a Connecticut College education affordable.
  • Improving retention and recruitment, especially among underrepresented groups. Studies have shown increased student retention and student success using OER. OER improve final grades and increase retention rates for Pell recipient students and underrepresented groups. OER address affordability, completion, and attainment gap concerns.
  • Creating opportunities for pedagogical innovation. OER and Open Pedagogy are opportunities for pedagogical innovation and improvement. OER can be tailored and improved locally to fit the needs of students, and allows opportunities for student participation in the process of OER creation. Browse the Connecticut College Pressbooks platform to see examples of open books created with students.
  • Expanding academic freedom.OER expand academic freedom, giving faculty copyright-free options to produce personalized learning materials to meet the specific needs of our students at our institution. Faculty are untethered from the rigid structures and content produced by publishers.

OER Grant Program

The Research Support & Curricular Technology team encourages and supports the use and creation of OER at Connecticut College through innovative grant programs. Click here for more detailed information about the grant. This program is funded by Information Services, Office of the Dean of the Faculty, Office of the Dean of Students, and the Academic Resource Center.  

2023 Grant Recipients

Adam Kleman, Chemistry
Andrea Lanoux, Slavic Studies
Yongjin Park, Economics
Carla Parker-Athill, Biology
Tanya Schneider, Chemistry
Luke Wilczek, Chemistry
Sana Abdi, James Austin, Jacob Levi,Robyn Pront, French and Francophone

2022 Grant Recipients

Ruth Grahn, Psychology
Jessica Koehler, Hispanic Studies
Emily Kuder, Hispanic Studies
Julia Kushigian, Hispanic Studies
Augustine O'Keefe, Mathematics & Statistics
Midge Thomas, Music
Sufia Uddin, Anthropology
Sana Abdi, James Austin, Jacob Levi,Robyn Pront, French and Francophone

2021 Grant Recipients

Ben Beranek, Economics
Karolin Machtans and Suzuko Knott, German Studies
Emily Kuder, Hispanic Studies
Michelle Dunlap, Human Development
Christopher Hammond, Mathematics & Statistics
Priya Kohli and Yan Zhuang, Mathematics and Statistics 

2019 Grant Recipients

Rachel Black, Anthropology
Luis Gonzalez, Hispanic Studies
Jillian Marshall and Jennifer Gorman, Psychology
Emily Kuder, Hispanic Studies
Kathy McKeon and Warren Johnson, Mathematics and Statistics
Luz Nick, Hispanic Studies
Yongjin Park, Economics
Maria Rosa, Biology
Ari Rotramel, Gender, Sexuality and Intersectionality Studies
Derek Turner, Philosophy

If you have questions or are curious about OER options, contact Ariela McCaffrey, Assistant Director of Research Support.