OER Projects
Z-degree Project | Open Textbooks Pilot Project
Z-degree Project
A Z-degree is a complete associate or bachelor's degree program that exclusively use course resources that are no cost to students, such as:
- open educational resources (OER)
- open textbooks
- library-curated materials
To be considered a Z-degree course, the instructor cannot require students to purchase any course resources. Optional or supplemental resources that are a cost to students may be recommended.
The following 10 Minnesota State colleges offer degrees that qualify as Z-degrees:
- Anoka-Ramsey Community College
- Central Lakes College
- Century College
- Lake Superior College
- Minneapolis College
- Minnesota State Community and Technical College
- Minnesota North College
- Minnesota West Community and Technical College
- Northland Community and Technical College
- St. Cloud Technical and Community College
The following 15 Minnesota State colleges and universities are in-process of developing Z-degree courses:
- Alexandria Technical and Community College
- Bemidji State University
- Dakota County Technical College
- Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
- Inver Hills Community College
- Minnesota State College Southeast
- Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Minnesota State University Moorhead
- Normandale Community College
- Northwest Technical College
- Ridgewater College
- Rochester Community and Technical College
- Saint Paul College
- South Central College
- St. Cloud State University
Opening Opportunities for Teacher Education
Open Textbooks Pilot program - Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)
Background
The United States Department of Education has awarded Minnesota State a three-year grant totaling $978,332, helping to increase the diversity of the teacher education pipeline across Minnesota. The program will run September 1, 2021 through August 30, 2024.
Goals
The pilot will create open textbooks and open educational resources (OER) for core teacher education courses that will provide significant savings for students while maintaining or improving student learning outcomes.
- Create high quality OER for five high-enrolled courses that have limited or no OER available.
- Provide professional development around the integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in OER and curriculum.
- Share all processes and procedures around OER development and DEI to the national Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSIs) and beyond.
Student Savings
Total annual savings for students in Minnesota State teacher education programs are estimated to be $420,000 and $627,000 per year.
Campuses and Courses
The following institutions are collaborating to convert these teacher education courses to utilize open textbooks and open resources:
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Quarterly Reports
Contact
Michael Olesen
Interim System Director for Student Success and Technologies
651-201-1477
Michael.Olesen@MinnState.edu