SPC awarded $10,000 SREB grant to expand open education

LEVELLAND – The Southern Regional Education Board has awarded a $10,000 grant to South Plains College to expand the institution’s commitment to open education and student success.

The grant, authored and executed by Heather Medley, SPC instructional designer and OER Committee member, was awarded through SREB’s Open Education Capacity Building Grant Program with support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The project will launch the Fast Forward Challenge, a strategic initiative designed to accelerate the adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) across disciplines, which will reduce costs and increase access for students.

“This is a major step forward in building long-term capacity and support for open education at SPC,” Medley said. “The Fast Forward Challenge will empower faculty and benefit students for years to come.”

Beginning July 21, SPC will collaborate with SREB and the Hewlett Foundation for one year to track the project’s impact, share outcomes and promote sustainable OER practices across campus.

“This grant provides a unique opportunity to advance OER at South Plains College and will support faculty as they develop open-course resources for the benefit of our students,” Nathan Ragland, chair of SPC’s OER committee, said. “Opportunities like this aid us in our efforts to reduce the financial burden on our student body while simultaneously enhancing the quality of education they receive.”