Post-secondary students in Saskatchewan now have a new way to access free educational materials, thanks to a provincial partnership that brings open education resources (OERs) under one digital roof.
The Government of Saskatchewan has teamed up with Saskatchewan Polytechnic, the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan to launch a centralized website offering free digital textbooks, manuals, videos and other academic tools.
“Open education resources are important tools that help make post-secondary education more accessible and affordable,” Advanced Education Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said. “We appreciate the hard work of faculty members at Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions who continue to develop important resources to help students learn, succeed and save money during their studies.”
The province has invested $2.3 million over the past decade in developing these resources. According to government estimates, more than 125,000 students have saved a combined $18 million by using OERs.
Leaders from the province’s major post-secondary institutions say the launch of the new platform, called SaskOER, marks an important step toward improving educational access and reducing financial barriers.
“We have been actively involved in the development and promotion of OERs for several years,” said Dr. Larry Rosia, president and CEO of Saskatchewan Polytechnic. “Our commitment to OERs stems from our belief in the transformative power of open access educational materials. By making high-quality resources readily available, we aim to enhance learning experiences, reduce the financial burden on students, and foster a culture of sharing and collaboration. This new website is a testament to ongoing efforts to support open education and drive innovation in teaching and learning.”
At the University of Regina, officials see the new platform as a way to boost collaboration between institutions while expanding access to course materials.
“The University of Regina is pleased to be part of the SaskOER network, which will better serve students, educators, and the public by making our quality open educational resources (OERs) more widely available and accessible,” said Dr. Jeff Keshen, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Regina. “The new SaskOER network also encourages and facilitates greater inter-institutional collaborations on OER projects. We are grateful for the Government of Saskatchewan’s support in creating and publishing quality open educational resources that are an increasingly important part of educational offerings in the province.”
Dr. Peter Stoicheff, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan, said the project will benefit students and educators alike.
“The University of Saskatchewan is excited about the enhanced support for all students that is being created through this new open educational resources website,” Stoicheff said. “Improving access to education resources online for students, staff and faculty, while also significantly lowering transactional costs, is a significant benefit for all in the post-secondary sector. USask is committed to working closely together with the University of Regina, Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the Government of Saskatchewan on this collaborative project.”
The new website is now live at www.saskoer.ca.