WICHE aims to increase access, affordability, and equity using Open Educational Resources (OER). OER are openly licensed and freely accessible materials used for teaching, learning, and research. OER can include textbooks, ancillary materials, media, and other digital materials. OER can be reused, revised, remixed, or redistributed while retaining credit to the original creator of the materials.
WICHE’s regional OER focus includes working with leaders, policymakers, higher education systems, institutions, and other organizations to scale the usage of high-quality open education resources to promote success for students in the west.
Our approach, with support from the Flora & William Hewlett Foundation, is to enhance collaboration among OER champions in western states and affiliated territories to:
The four regional education compacts are collaborating to scale and sustain the use of open educational resources, which are high-quality teaching and learning materials that are free for educators and students to use, customize and share.
Members of the four regional interstate higher education compacts presented at the 2023 SHEEO Conference. From left to right: Liliana Diaz Solodukhin (WICHE), Charlotte Dailey (SREB), Jenny Parks (MHEC), and Lindsey Gwozdz (NEBHE).
December 17, 2020
The four regional education compacts—the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, the New England Board of Higher Education, the Southern Regional Education Board, and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education—are working together to help scale the adoption and use of open education resources nationally to allow millions students access to free, high-quality learning resources. This publication provides a summary of the work of two focus groups compromised of experts in the field of OER. The report shares the group’s observations on the OER landscape, identified opportunities and priorities, and recommendations and next steps.
Download PDF
November 11, 2021
To mitigate the fiscal effects stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has enacted several emergency relief bills. These emergency relief bills have introduced an influx of funding that has states and higher education institutions working to identify investments that are responsive to the pandemic and its effects. Effects include a national 5.9 percent enrollment drop in spring 2021 from the previous year for all incoming students and an 11.3 percent drop at community colleges, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.1 Institutional responses to the pandemic are varied but many include reengaging students who left or did not start their postsecondary education because of the pandemic and continuing to boost student success for those that remained enrolled amid a tumultuous year, all while not creating new ongoing costs.2 One approach to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the use of Open Educational Resources (OER), which, as a high-impact practice, have been found to increase student success and institutional efficiency. Implementation of OER is a wise investment, as it reduces the costs of course materials like textbooks; broadens collaboration among faculty, staff, and administration; improves student outcomes; and can be a key part of achieving postsecondary strategic goals and state policy priorities.3 WICHE and the other regional compacts, with funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, are working with states and institutions to scale the use and effectiveness of open education.
Download PDFWatch this webinar recording with Liliana Diaz Solodukhin as she presents on a report she co-authored, A Course Marking Roadmap, building on the work of the National Consortium for Open Educational Resources (NCOER), a partnership of the nation’s four...
Listen to this podcast episode with Liliana Diaz Solodukhin hosted by the University of Denver as she joins Ph.D. candidate Casey McCoy-Simmons to talk about the benefits of OER and the current OER policy landscape.
Open education has made remarkable progress, yet the evolving landscape continues to present challenges. As open education work continues to grow at institutions, in states, and across regions, questions increasingly surface about how we might coordinate and advocate more...
This two-day convening will provide an opportunity for OER practitioners to come together for networking, peer-to-peer learning, and professional development. Speakers from around the nation will share best practices, approaches, and processes that facilitate the advancement and scaling of...
Faculty are key to implementing Open Educational Resources (OER). Yavapai College has effectively developed and currently offers strategic wrap around support for faculty adopting, adapting, and building OER. Through this approach, YC saved students $802,340 during fall 2020 through...
The United States has come face to face with racial unrest, specifically after the murder of George Floyd. Countless organizations and businesses have adopted diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to respond to what some call the other pandemic. OpenStax...
“The partnership with WICHE has played a crucial role in bolstering the success of Open SLCC sustainability efforts at Salt Lake Community College. WICHE has been a valuable ally in addressing Open SLCC’s capacity challenges by facilitating introductions to potential national collaborators, providing access to a wealth of tools, and supporting research and analysis of our program’s effectiveness. The OERwest monthly meetings and annual gatherings have proven particularly beneficial in advancing Open SLCC’s initiatives.”
Andrea Scott Director, Open Educational Resources (OER), Office of Learning Advancement, Salt Lake Community College, Open SLCC
