OER and Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$)

Participate in AL$ this fall!

Applications Due November 18, 2024. Apply here!

About the AL$ Program

Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) funding provides stipends to faculty to support the adoption of affordable, high quality educational content for their students.

Funding Opportunities

• Converting a course to free or low-cost course materials: $1,000 stipend. Details below.
• Creating, remixing or revising openly-licensed course materials: Stipend TBD. Discuss with the AL$ Coordinator.
• Conference attendance focused on open course materials and/or affordability (pilot program). Discuss with AL$ Coordinator.

Course conversions: What to do

• Submit an application by the end of the day November 11, 2024. You must complete a separate application for each course.
• Convert some or all of your required course materials (textbooks, courseware, supplies, etc.) to $0 or low-cost ($50 or under total), or teach a course for the first time with such materials: $1,000 stipend per course.
• Course sections taught in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 are eligible.
• Eligible course materials include any required assigned materials, such as textbooks and online materials.
• Priority consideration will be given to
  • Applications to convert all sections of a course to free or lower-cost materials.
  • Conversions with largest total student savings potential.
  • Projects that include some or all openly-licensed materials.
• Prepare and submit a course showcase questionnaire to the CSU-wide AL$ staff and the campus coordinator by January 31, 2025 (talk to the AL$ Coordinator if you need an extension).
• When your showcase is final, you can be paid.

Creating, remixing or revising course materials: What to do

• Discuss your plan with the AL$ Coordinator.
• Identify a timeline, publication platform, and needs such as student workers and peer reviewers.
• Develop a budget and deliverables. Get approval.
• Prepare and submit a course showcase to the CSU-wide AL$ staff and the AL$ coordinator.
• When your showcase is final, you can be paid.

Conference attendance: What to do (pilot program)

• Identify a conference focused on open resources and/or course material affordability where attendance could advance affordability on campus.
• Discuss the conference and its expenses with the AL$ Coordinator and get approval. Approved activities will have tangible benefits for affordability at Cal Maritime.
• Attend the conference.
• Share what you learned and any practical implications with the campus.
• When you have shared, you can be paid.

Here's an example for a brief statement to put in your course syllabus if you're using OER or other free materials, from Rajiv Jhangiani of Brock University.

Course Readings:

Here’s the thing: I don’t want you to spend $200 on a textbook if I can avoid it. And I can avoid it, because we will use a free and open textbook. It is available here in a variety of digital formats (entirely free for you to use or print as needed), but if you prefer you can also order a print copy. It is very important to me that higher education be affordable to any student who wishes to access it.

Once your proposal to convert your course sections to free or low-cost course materials is approved, it's a good idea to start gathering information early! To receive the stipend, you'll need to complete the guiding questions document below, describing your new course materials and how they affected your students, in order to create a course showcase on the MERLOT / COOL4Ed websites. Here are a few documents to guide you.

Course sections which don't cost students anything in course materials such as textbooks and online access codes can be given a "zero-cost course materials" (ZCCM) attribute in the course schedule. Courses with materials costs under $50 can have a low-cost course materials (LCCM) attribute. Please contact your AL$ Coordinator if you have questions or your course should be listed but is not.

Any materials used in CSU courses need to comply with Section 508, being accessible to all students with or without disabilities. If you have questions, review the resources at Cal Maritime's accessibility websitecheck with the Department of Academic Technology or Disability Services at Cal Maritime.