Publication Type: Publication

The Impact of OER Initiatives on Faculty Selection of Classroom Materials

Post author By Rosa Calabrese
Post date August 4, 2021

The adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) is on the rise, driven in part by increasing awareness of OER. But while faculty and institutions have shown increasing awareness and acceptance of OER, many remain unfamiliar with what they are, or how to utilize them. This report was jointly released by WCET and Bay View Analytics.

  • Faculty who are aware of one or more OER initiatives are much more likely to be adopters of OER. This holds true for both faculty teaching introductory-level courses and the general population of faculty.
  • When implemented at the institutional level, OER initiatives result in a measurable rise in the number of faculty who are aware of OER.
  • Faculty who are aware of OER are much more likely to adopt OER as required course materials; those who have yet to adopt OER are much more likely to do so in the future.
  • The impact of awareness of OER initiatives on adoption remains consistent across types of institutions (two- and four-year), the level of course being taught, and across regional compacts in the U.S.
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Report: Gap Analysis and Environmental Scan: Sharing Observations, Priorities, Opportunities in National OER Landscape

Post author By Rosa Calabrese
Post date August 4, 2021

This report was jointly prepared by staff from the four regional education compacts: the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC), the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). This work was supported by funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. In March 2020, the four regional compacts convened focus groups to gather insights and prepare for a national environmental scan and gap analysis. The result of the work was a better understanding of the national landscape and was used to develop this report.

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Competency-Based Education – WCET 26th Annual Meeting In Depth Resource

Post author By Rosa Calabrese
Post date August 3, 2021

Resource created based on discussions with subject matter experts (SMEs) who participated in the in-depth session on Competency-based Education at the WCET 26th Annual Meeting, November 2014 in Portland, OR. These answers are time-bound and will not be updated but provide valuable insight into the ‘how’ of competency-based education at a variety of institutions.

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State Authorization Across State Borders

Post author By Rosa Calabrese
Post date August 2, 2021

Publication from OLC, UPCEA, and WCET on regulations that allow states to regulate institutions that conduct instruction and other postsecondary activities within their borders. Document includes primary regulatory references, history of state authorization, definitions, state concerns, and principles of state authorization.

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Regular and Substantive Interaction: Background, Concerns, and Guiding Principles

Post author By Rosa Calabrese
Post date August 2, 2021
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Financial Aid and the 21st Century Learner: Background, Concerns, and Guiding Principles

Post author By Rosa Calabrese
Post date August 2, 2021

The publication from OLC, UPCEA, and WCET reviews the background and history of student eligibility and other regulations for postsecondary financial aid, concerns that may require congressional action to address, and guiding principles of financial aid regulations in the United States.

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Competency-Based Education, Direct Assessment, and Financial Aid: Background, Concerns, and Guiding Principles

Post author By Rosa Calabrese
Post date August 2, 2021

The publication from OLC, UPCEA, and WCET reviews the background and history of competency-based education and direct assessment, with related financial aid regulations, concerns that may require congressional action to address, and guiding principles of regulations regarding instructional modality in the United States.

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Accessibility of Online Course Materials

Post author By Rosa Calabrese
Post date August 2, 2021

Short resource on the accessibility of online course materials, including why accessibility of materials is important, related regulations, overview of universal design for learning. This Talking Points document was developed in 2014 and is time-bound, this specific resource has not/may not be updated to reflect current regulations and understandings.

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Accessibility in Online Courses – Trends, Tips, & Tools

Post author By Rosa Calabrese
Post date July 29, 2021

Resource created by WCET staff, Kathleen Bastedo and Nancy Swenson (both instructional designers for the Center for Distributed Learning at the University of Central Florida), on trends related to accessibility and online courses, tips for building accessible courses, strategies for using assistive technology for faculty and students, useful accessibility tools, and accessibility related organizations and resources.

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Guidelines for the Review and Evaluation of Distance Education

Post author By Rosa Calabrese
Post date July 28, 2021

Compiled links to Guidelines and Policy Statements from the Regional Accrediting Commissions. Please note this resource was created in 2013 and has not/will not be updated with more current information.

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