Open Educational Resources in Caribbean Studies

With generous support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Digital Library of the Caribbean invites proposals from individuals and groups seeking to develop and share freely available educational materials–also known as open educational resources (OER)–in Caribbean studies. From course modules to recorded lectures, curated primary source sets to digital exhibits, educators across the discipline are producing valuable materials, but often these materials remain inaccessible to the broader community. This project seeks to collect and disseminate educational materials in support of open and collaborative teaching and learning. College and university educators, librarians, archivists, museum curators, instructional designers, graduate students, independent scholars, and other institutions engaged in the creation of educational materials in Caribbean studies are all encouraged to apply. A project advisory group made up of experts in Caribbean studies, digital pedagogy, and instructional design will review, select and provide constructive feedback on projects over the three-year program period. Each project will be approached on its specific merits. Selection of projects will include the following considerations: Projects that build upon, enhance, or complement dLOC collections; Prioritization of projects that pursue social justice by centering histories, experiences and perspectives that have been systematically marginalized; Feasibility: projects that are reasonable to complete within 6-12 months using tools and file formats that are easy to maintain. Awardees will have access to dLOC-supported platforms, such as Pressbooks: https://ufl.pb.unizin.org/about/; Clarity: information is clear, concise and understandable with adequate context provided for any jargon/technical terminology used; Enduring relevance: content will remain relevant for a long period of time; Other criteria as applicable for the unique needs of each project.

Submit a short (no more than 500-700 word) letter of interest to Tania M. Ríos Marrero, dLOC Project Coordinator, at triosmarrero@ufl.edu and include the following:

• A brief description of your project or course and materials that would be shared
• How your project builds upon, enhances, adapts, or complements dLOC collections
• The amount of funding ($2,000 or $5,000) you are requesting
• Intended audience and potential ways to support outreach and dissemination
• A short plan of work to complete the project. Please indicate any activities where you may need support from dLOC staff

Please direct any questions to triosmarrero@ufl.edu.

Timeline

• Proposals will be due on March 15, 2023
• Decisions on proposals will be complete and communicated by end of May 2023
• OER products will be due by January 2024 (awards of $2,000) or June 2024 (awards of $5,000)