OER Sparkshop to Generate Buy-In

In an effort to dispel the myths that OER mean whole-course textbooks and that ‘there are no good OER for what I teach,’ Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC) offered “Sparkshops” about OER. These short, mini workshops provided to faculty groups were intended to ‘spark’ interest in the topic and provide insight into the advantages of OER. The sparkshop shared the financial and access benefits of OER but also explored their diverse formats including media elements and module- and activity-level resources which can be integrated to provide a more engaging and accessible learning experience for students. Emphasis was on the flexibility that OER bring to course content when compared to traditional textbooks.Sparkshops aim to cultivate a network of advocates within educational institutions. This ‘lightning round’ will discuss the sparkshop model, its use at MPTC, and potential next steps for developing additional OER resources and training opportunities, fostering a sustainable culture of OER usage at your institution.