PreK-12 OER in Practice

Submitted by
Kristina Ishmael

Public Interest Technology Fellow at New America, Washington, DC, USA

A Guide for Practitioners, Leaders, and Decision Makers

For the past four years, New America has been tracking the growing use of OER across the country. Beginning in 2017, New America’s Public Interest Technology and Education Policy programs have fostered collaboration between a range of PreK–12 organizations that support OER work in states and districts. This interactive toolkit has been built with the goal […]

Submitted by
Jeanette Westfall

Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Staff Development, Liberty Public Schools (MO)

You Are Not Alone

How has OER impacted professional learning or student learning? In addition to providing a variety of learning resources that our teachers are able to use to differentiate instruction in their classrooms, the results of our OER integration can be seen in the improved content knowledge and clarity of instructional targets that our teachers have gained […]

Submitted by
Dan Lawson

Superintendent of Tullahoma City Schools

Another Tool In our Toolbox

How has OER impacted professional learning or student learning? As we began utilization of OER in 2012, we did so with a belief that the biggest impact would be financial and would simply allow us to divert financial resources away from the acquisition of published materials to the acquisition of bandwidth and digital devices. Certainly, […]

Submitted by
Anthony Gabriele

Supervisor of Learning, Development & Professional Growth for the Garnet Valley School District, Senior adjunct faculty, University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Literacy Network

Reinvestment in Teachers

How has OER impacted professional learning or student learning? OER has really helped us to focus and individualize our professional learning for our teachers. It has allowed us to connect our prior focus on student-centered curriculum design using the Understanding by Design framework to student-centered resource design using our Open Educational Resource modules. By connecting […]

Submitted by
Dan McDowell

Director of Instructional Technology for the Grossmont Union High School District.

OER is a State of Mind

How has OER impacted professional learning or student learning? We are still in the development phase of our five OER high school projects – biology, space and earth science, chemistry, world history, and economics. However, the process of exploring the content and appropriate teaching strategies has given all of our teams new and more […]

Submitted by
Josh Allen

Technology Integration Specialist and #GoOpen contact for the Lewis Central Community School District in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Teacher Ownership

How has OER impacted professional learning or student learning? OER has allowed our teachers to take ownership of their instructional materials. They are more invested in the success of what they are creating and curating because they see the impact their work is having, rather than hoping their voice was heard when a bulk purchase […]

Submitted by
Ben Churchill

Superintendent of Carlsbad Unified School District, CA, USA

Teacher and Student Choice

How has OER impacted professional learning or student learning? In Carlsbad Unified, OER has greatly impacted professional learning. Our secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers are in the process of developing units of study from the ground up: determining essential learning outcomes for each unit, identifying essential questions, pulling together a playlist of openly licensed […]

Submitted by
Kristina Ishmael

Public Interest Tech & Ed Policy Fellow, New America

Go Open: From the Ground Up and In Practice Year of Open Webinar

Two years ago, the U.S. Department of Education launched #GoOpen, a national movement to support states, school districts, and educators transitioning to the use of OER in place of traditional instructional materials. Today, over 100 PreK-12 districts have committed to use OER to increase equity, keep content relevant, empower teachers, and reallocate funds. Together they […]

Submitted by
Jennifer Johnson

Executive Director of Assessment/Instructional Technology at Marysville Public Schools in Marysville, Michigan, USA

Slow and Steady in Marysville Public Schools

How has OER impacted professional learning or student learning? OER has impacted both professional and student learning in Marysville Public Schools. As a district, we are finding that OER puts value into the teacher’s expertise. The money that our district has saved not purchasing a new textbook series has been reallocated into our teaching staff. […]

Submitted by
Kristina Ishmael

Public Interest Technology Fellow at New America, Washington, DC, USA

A Global PreK-12 OER Perspective

How has OER impacted professional learning or student learning? In my work with districts, service agencies, and states, I have seen direct impact on professional learning. District leaders are empowering teachers in this process and giving them the agency to make decisions based on their students’ needs. Teachers are owning this process and engaging in […]

PreK-12 OER in Practice

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