Affordable Learning Solutions

Open Educational Resources (OER) are high quality, openly licensed teaching, learning, and research resources available at no cost to students. They can be customized by faculty members to fit their teaching needs and are available in many formats.

Another alternative to commercial textbooks is the free use of library-licensed and owned resources.

For more information on affordable learning, visit our online guide.

 

Apply for a SCoer Faculty Award

The 2024 SCoer Faculty Award will offer two tracks:

1.     Track One: Affordable Learning Transition

Award recipients will attend a hands-on affordable learning workshop. After attending the workshop, winners will develop a syllabus resulting in a cost-free course. Creative use of open educational resources and library-licensed resources is encouraged. If selected, you will be awarded $1,000 and a certificate to thank you for your work. Apply for this award if you would like to transition your course to the use of no-cost learning resources.

2.     Track Two: Affordable Learning Advocate

Award recipients will be recognized for their use of no-cost course materials, such as OER or library-licensed resources. If selected, you will become an affordable learning advocate and resource for other instructors interested in transitioning to the use of affordable learning materials. You will provide written and/or video content describing:

• their use of no-cost materials in the classroom,
• the process of selecting and implementing no-cost materials,
• why they chose to teach using no-cost materials, and
• the impact of teaching with affordable materials.

The Libraries will be granted permission to use these materials in marketing, promotion, instruction, or for other purposes. Track Two recipients may be asked to mentor or provide feedback to Track One recipients or other faculty transitioning to the use of no-cost resources. If selected, you will be awarded $500 and a certificate to thank you for your work. Apply for this award if you have already transitioned to the use of no-cost learning resources.

Track one and track two awards are open to full-time USC Columbia faculty and are sponsored by the University Libraries and Student Government.

Applications will close on May 1, 2024.

Apply for the 2024 SCoer Award

Apply for track one.

Apply for track two.

Congratulations to the 2023 SCoer Award recipients:

Jin Liu, College of Education

Michael Grant, College of Education

Kathryn Whitener, Darla Moore School of Business

Hengtao Tang, College of Education

To learn about the 2023 SCoer Award winners, view the recipient announcement.