Saskatchewan students can now access free textbooks and academic resources in one convenient location. The Government of Saskatchewan has partnered with Saskatchewan Polytechnic, the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan to launch a new website to host open education resources (OERs) through one central website.
OERs are free digital resources such as textbooks, manuals and audio/visual files that students and faculty can access for learning, teaching and research purposes. Over the past ten years, Saskatchewan has invested $2.3 million in the development of OERs.
"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."
OERs lower the cost and increase access to high-quality academic resources for students. Current estimates show that over 125,000 students have saved approximately $18 million through accessing these resources.
"We have been actively involved in the development and promotion of OERs for several years," Saskatchewan Polytechnic President and CEO Dr. Larry Rosia said. "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."
"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," University of Regina President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jeff Keshen said. "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."
"The University of Saskatchewan is excited about the enhanced support for all students that is being created through this new open educational resources website," University of Saskatchewan President and Vice-Chancellor Peter 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 open education resource website is now available at www.saskoer.ca.
