Fostering Innovation with a Hands-Off Approach

Millersville’s Open Education Working Group was initially formed by like-minded faculty, librarians, and staff who wanted to promote the use of OER across campus. The self-assembled group planned events for Open Education Week and organized a virtual conference to help broaden the understanding and use of OER. The group created an Open Textbook Initiative (OTI), which provided mentorship and financial and logistical support to faculty who desired to implement OER textbooks in upcoming classes. The working group hoped that the financially incentivized OTI would catalyze OER adoption across campus. No member of the working group received any of the financial benefits as the goal was to inspire others. To get a program off the ground, however, the group needed support from administration, including the provost and vice president of academic affairs, Dr. Vilas Prabhu.