Terms of Reference
Purpose: The Open Textbook Initiative will develop awareness and build capacity for OER adoptions and adaptations within Universities in the Australian Technology Network (ATN). This project aims to increase student satisfaction by easing the financial burden of textbook costs and increasing student engagement with the curriculum, and to provide access to engaging and up-to-date global open learning resources, in support of new evolving learning experiences and futures.
The initiative will also support the development of OER awareness, adoption and adaptations for OER textbooks for institutions outside the ATN.
This will be done by sharing information and coordinating efforts among our current membership who may lead and support open education initiatives at their institutions, and more broadly as well.
Current Membership:
Chair: Frank Ponte and Jennifer Hurley, RMIT.
Meeting schedule: As required for ATN core members. (above)
All other interested parties will connect to the Open Textbook Initiative via the Open Education Practice Special Interest Group.
The OEPSIG group has wider scope, links to creative commons, discusses open educational practice, is backed by ASCILITE and connects with academics, other practitioners and researchers.
Communications: Email for ATN internal group communications.
Budget: No dedicated budget currently exists for the Open Educational Resources Librarians’ Group.
Textbook heroes: All textbook heroes listed on the Open Textbook Initiative website are asked to participate and contribute on the platform by disclosing the OER adopted work they use, identify which course the resource relates to, highlight the previous prescribed commercial work, how the adopted work is used in their teaching practice, and, make their contact details available to all. They will also answer a series of questions which is designed to create awareness and assist other teaching staff to engage in open practice.
New works: All new works will be published with a creative commons licence of CC-BY-NC at a minimum.
Negotiation and discussion regarding other creative commons licenses can be addressed by each University.
Currently, there is no budget to support the development of new creative works.
Adapted works: Adapted works from ATN libraries will use the Adapters License chart to identify the correct license.
Currently, there is no budget to support the development of newly adapted works.