The Iowa Open Education Action Team (Iowa OER) is a statewide group working to support the affordability of higher education for students in the state of Iowa. Our team consists of representatives from Iowa community colleges, Regent’s universities, and private colleges, as well as representatives from the Department of Education and legislature.
Iowa college students saved
over $32 million* since 2018
thanks to the use of OER.
Our Projects
Annual Survey
Each year, the Iowa Open Educational Resources Action Team runs a survey of colleges in the state to learn more about their capacity for and interest in OER development. The results of these surveys are shared freely online: Iowa OER Survey Results Archive.
*Savings numbers are based on a standardized metric for calculating savings through replacing a commercial textbook.
Open Education Network Membership
In 2019, members of Iowa OER presented to stakeholders across the state to get buy-in for a state-wide membership to the Open Education Network (OEN), an alliance of hundreds of colleges, universities, and consortia partners working together to advance the use of open textbooks in higher education. This is an exciting partnership that allows us to provide Iowa higher education institutions with tools and services that will assist them in building sustainable OER initiatives on their campuses.
Vision Statement
Every college student in Iowa will have access to courses or programs fully using OER to support an affordable, high quality education.
Our Goals
- By 2027, the Iowa Open Education Action Team will have more means in place to connect with partners across the state (e.g. independent colleges, public libraries, etc).
- By 2027, the Iowa Open Education Action Team will have supported at least 65 instructors through the OER Communities of Practice Program.
- By 2028, Iowa colleges and universities will complete a review to determine the capacity to support zero textbook cost degree programs.
- By 2028, the Iowa Open Education Action Team will have an ask prepared for a state-level governing body to provide some sort of financial support for open education in Iowa.
- By 2028, a 2+2 transfer program with zero textbook costs will be in development across Iowa.
Members
- Abbey Elder, Open Access and Scholarly Communication Librarian, Iowa State University
- Rachel Boon, Chief Academic Officer, Iowa Board of Regents
- Jenni Breems, Director of Library Services, Dordt University
- Shannon Brenner, Instructional Designer, Northeast Iowa Community College
- Mahrya Burnett, Scholarly Communications Librarian, University of Iowa
- Derreck Calkins, Iowa Department of Education
- Kayla Reed, Discovery, Systems and Digital Strategy Librarian, Grinnell College
- Anne Marie Gruber, Instruction & Liaison Librarian, University of Northern Iowa
- Debra Lowman, Associate Dean of Library and Learning Resources, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges
- April Pforts, State Supervisor of Mathematics, Iowa Department of Education
- Katelyn Handler, Instructional Design and Student Engagement Librarian, Grand View University
- Jake Welchans, AEA Learning Online
- Christine Whitney, Librarian, Des Moines Area Community College