The OE Consortium is pleased to announce the addition of five new members.  We extend our warmest welcome to you all!

1. Alamo Colleges

Alamo Colleges serve the Bexar County community through their programs and services that help students succeed in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed in today’s world. The five colleges — San Antonio (est. 1925), St. Philip’s (est. 1898), Palo Alto (est. 1985), Northeast Lakeview (est. 2007), and Northwest Vista (est. 1995) — offer associate degrees, certificates and licensures in occupational programs that prepare students for jobs, as well as arts and science courses that transfer to four-year colleges and universities and lead to AA and AS degrees. The Alamo Colleges nine-member board of trustees are elected locally to six-year terms by Bexar County voters. The Chancellor, the district’s chief executive officer, guides and implements the programs and policies of the Alamo Colleges. They are currently searching  for ways to incorporate more OERs throughout their Colleges and become strong ‘open’ supporters.

 2. Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU) is a large, public university situated in Tempe, Arizona. ASU has developed a new model for the American Research University, creating an institution that is committed to excellence, access and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it. ASU enrollment for 2014-2015 was 57,000 undergraduate and 12,000 graduate students across all campuses.

Arizona State University has entered into partnerships with both Coursera and edX to build and offer MOOCs as part of several strategies. In partnership with edX they have launched the first general education courses for university credit, in an initiative called the Global Freshman Academy. The need for faculty to learn more about how to find, adapt and share OER is driving change at ASU. The Global Freshman Academy team, and EdPlus (their online division), in partnership with the ASU library and Graduate Student leaders are forming a working group around Open Access and use of OER. Their institutional open website will be up and running shortly.

3. Palo Alto College

Palo Alto College has been a pillar of the Southside community and remains dedicated to providing a high-quality education for the community. Originally created in 1985 from the desire to provide higher education to residents of south San Antonio, Palo Alto College has spent 30 years serving over 100,000 individuals throughout San Antonio, Bexar County, and surrounding counties. Recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, Palo Alto College has been recognized as No. 32 in the Top 100 Associate Degrees Awarded to Hispanics. The number of degrees and certificates awarded jumped 80 percent – from 271 in 2008-09 to 489 in 2009-2010. The Center for Academic Transitions – which oversees scholarships, graduation, and transfer options – was recognized for its successful strategies in 2011 by the College Board. The average transfer rate for Hispanic students in Texas is 8.9%; at Palo Alto College, it is 38% for Hispanics.

The Palo Alto College Faculty has long expressed concern about the ever-rising cost of instructional materials. PAC offered a summer workshop to faculty interested in using open educational resources as a means of reducing those costs. The adoption and implementation of OER has been a steady and consistent process.

First Workshop: Summer 2014 (21 participants)
Second Workshop: Summer 2015 (16 participants)
Implementation:

• Fall 2014 Open Education Resources
  • 14 faculty adopted OERs
• • 38 sections used a full set of OERs, 15 of these were face to face
  • 965 students were enrolled in these sections
  • $110,819 in total savings for students (as compared to purchase of a new textbook)
  • An average savings of $118/student/class Implementation
• Spring 2015 Open Educational Resources
  • 17 faculty adopted OERs
  • 35 sections used a full set of OERs
  • 809 students are enrolled in these sections
  • $81,196.50 total savings to students for Spring 2015
  • An average of $100/student/class

4. Salt Lake Community College

Salt Lake Community College serves the residents of Salt Lake County at its 9 campuses throughout the Salt Lake Valley. More than 13,500 are currently enrolled at the college. The college offers courses/programs ranging from general education courses to certificate programs and associate degrees. It has articulation agreements with many of the local institutions to provide students with the opportunity of pursuing further education.

Salt Lake Community College’s (SLCC) mission is “to provide quality higher education and lifelong learning to people of diverse cultures, abilities, and ages, and to do that in a climate conducive to learning, teaching, and working where diverse perspectives, life experiences, and cultures fundamentally enrich the learning environment.” To this end, SLCC is working on reducing the financial burden on students by offering more than 100 sections that use OER materials, partnering with Lumen Learning to implement MyOpenMath, and exploring methods to expand OER implementation at the college.

5. Training and Development Network

Training and Development Network (TDN) is committed to Professionals’ training and development through different Trainings and Capacity Building Programmes for NGOs, INGOs, International agencies, corporate sector and Government organizations. TDN aims to facilitate the professionals, job seekers and fresh graduates in acquiring new and essential skills prevailing in the current market. TDN organizes and conducts different training and capacity building workshops, conferences and seminars to benefit work force of the nation who want to build their working capacity at the work place. TDN is keen to provide best service for enhancing growth and career development of delegates by coaching, and helping them to achieve their personal and professional goals. Our training services are especially designed to strengthen the managerial and organizational capacity required to perform effectively to achieve set objectives and efficiently at most favorable costs. TDN facilitates and hosts thousands of professionals, job seekers and fresh graduates to develop their core competencies so that they can be self-sustained and improve their quality of life. Our services benefit thousands of Members all over Pakistan and abroad, who are keen to attend courses and acquire new skills.