Academics

 

Are students buying the textbooks that you adopt? Do you worry about the cost of books, especially for your students in poverty? Does the bookstore stock enough copies of the books you order? Would you like to create your own mix of readings and activities, instead of relying on traditional textbooks?

The University of Mississippi’s Z-Degree Initiative seeks proposals from faculty interested in using free and open digital resources to enhance existing undergraduate courses. Successful proposals will replace one or more traditional books with free and open digital resources, thereby increasing engagement and reducing costs for students.

Faculty with successful proposals will conduct their research and planning during the spring and summer of 2020, with new course materials being first used during the 2020-2021 academic year. Grant organizers will provide access to course consultants to help faculty locate, evaluate, edit, and/or author openly-licensed course materials. Faculty will be asked to teach the course at least twice using the newly adopted materials.

Proposals will be judged on potential to increase student engagement and to reduce student expenses. Preference will be given to proposals affecting multi-sectioned courses and/or courses with large enrollments. Preference will be given to courses that are required in the general education curriculum.

Successful proposals will receive up to $4,000 in development stipends for faculty; regular employee payroll withholding, including taxation, benefits deductions, and grants administration charges, may apply. Team proposals are welcomed.

Proposals due by 5 p.m. on Monday, November 11, 2019. They should be submitted by e-mail to oer@olemiss.edu and should include the following information:

•Name, title, university or college, and department;

•Course number and title;

•Typical enrollment of course and frequency taught;

•ISBN and current new cost of book or books to be replaced;

•Preliminary description of openly-licensed digital resources that might be utilized;

•Discussion of how these digital resources might improve your course and/or studentengagement:

•Brief statement of support from your chair, dean, or adiministrator.