OER at Harper College

$79,750 spent on OER grants

Nearly $300,000 in student savings.

1 out of 5 students impacted registered for an additional 3 credit hour course, generating an additional $281,000 in tuition revenue

Students in impacted sections passed (C or higher) at a 3% higher rate than comparable non-OER grant sections.

Two-thirds of faculty reported that their approach to teaching was more innovative in the semester they implemented these resources

Nearly two-thirds of students rated the overall quality of the learning experience as higher than in non-OER grant sections.

History of OER at Harper College

Harper College, like many colleges in the United States have had faculty that have either developed, embraced and repurposed Open Educational Resources in their instruction for some time. With that being said, it wasn’t until 2017 that a concerted institutional effort by Harper College administration, faculty, Library and the college bookstore to decide to bring about a sustainable plan to reduce the overall cost of textbooks for Harper College students.

OER Initiatives at Harper College

OER Transformational Grant

To reduce textbook and course material costs primarily through the adoption, adaptation and creation of free Open Educational Resources (OER), Harper College has allocated strategic plan funding for OER Transformation Grants. These grants are intended to support faculty efforts to reduce the costs associated with textbooks and course materials while maintaining high quality course design and instruction.

Apply for the OER Transformation Grant (Updated August 2023)