The Z-degree at Tidewater Community College was the nation's first zero textbook associate's degree. Additional Z-degrees and courses have since been developed and continue to expand to community colleges across Virginia. Faculty who would like to teach a Z-degree course at TCC are required to complete a 6-week online training course called Pathways. Pathways was developed by a member of the TCC business faculty, and introduces faculty to core concepts in open access and the use of open educational resources. One of the ways that TCC librarians support OER efforts at our institution is by facilitating these online Pathways courses.
Attendees at this session will learn about Pathways content and structure, and the challenges and successes of librarian-led faculty OER training. Presenters will discuss the development of library involvement with Pathways, and will highlight their experiences working with teaching faculty and other academic partners to support OER adoption.
Olivia Reinauer is a Reference Librarian at Tidewater Community College. Her professional interests include OER, library instruction, instructional design, outreach, assessment, and user experience.