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Open Educational Resources @ PCC

Open Educational Resources @ PCC

What is OER?

According to a report released by the Student PIRGS, 65% of students reported not purchasing a required textbook at least once due to cost, and 90% of those students said they were concerned their grade would suffer because of this choice. Many instructors are adopting Open Educational Resources, which are shared freely on the web, instead of traditional textbooks to save students money and more effectively serve teaching and learning.

Learn more about OER at Open Oregon Educational Resources’ FAQ.

Why Open Education Matters

This 2:46 video examines the high cost of college textbooks and how it affects the student experience at PCC.

OER Support for Faculty
  • PCC OER Grants are here! This program provides funding for PCC faculty and APs who plan to adopt, revise, or maintain open educational resources for their classes. Apply by Nov. 1st for grants to support OER work in Winter and Spring terms 2025.
  • Check out our OER guide for information about how to get started with, find, adopt, fund, and create open resources; it also provides access to information on copyright, course cost designations, research, and how to get more help.
  • Librarians can help you get started! Contact your subject-area liaison or visit us at the research help desk.
  • Find out what other community college instructors are using as open educational resources by searching Open Oregon’s resources page.
  • Apply for an Open Oregon Educational Resources grant to develop your own OER materials.
PCC's OER Steering Committee

PCC’s OER steering committee (OERSC) supports student success through promoting the use of affordable, accessible, and quality open educational resources at the college. The OERSC also provides funding for PCC OER projects and maintenance. You can join PCC’s OER Interest email group to keep up to date on OER news and resources, and report your work with open resources to the committee. If you have questions you can contact the OER steering committee at: oer@pcc.edu.

Textbook Affordability Task Force and Plan

Find more information about PCC’s college-wide textbook affordability goals and initiatives on the Textbook Affordability Task Force page.