Open Education

Achieve the dream

Open Educational Resources

The Hewlett Foundation defines Open Educational Resources (OER) as teaching, learning and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use and re-purposing by others. Open educational resources include full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge. These textbooks are free online! Most are also available in the bookstore in print for the cost of production and under $40.00.

Student Savings

Bay College has saved its students over $1,979,800 on textbooks since Fall 2015 semester. Bay College has over 40 courses that use OER, with more being added all the time!

Testimonial Videos

Achieving the Dream

Open Educational Resources Degree Initiative Grant

In June 2016, Bay College was awarded a grant from Achieving the Dream (ATD) to a complete degree pathway using all OER. Bay College transitioned many courses to open educational resources starting immediately, and entire OER degree pathways in Liberal Arts was launched in the Fall semester of 2017. (See below for a complete list of our OER courses). The OER Degree Initiative is working to create a library of high-quality, digital, open courses available to other institutions and the public at large. Making resources easily available to all is expected to encourage OER adoption even at non-participating institutions.

ATD will help colleges make OER degrees critical elements of their student success efforts. Lumen Learning will provide technical assistance, SRI International will evaluate the implementation, and the Community College Consortium of Open Educational Resources (CCCOER) will facilitate a community of practice. Bay College has a total of 27 classes certified as OER through Lumen Learning, our grant partner, for a total of 87 credits. For more information on the grant please visit the Achieving the Dreams website.

OER Textbooks

Zero Cost Textbooks

• *Online section requires a homework code
• ** Check section description - varies by instructor
• *** Simulator CD Required
• **** Waymaker access code required

Textbook subject to change. Please verify textbook requirements with your instructor.