Welcome!
Learn about open education practices at BCIT and find resources for creating and using open educational resources (OER).
What's New?
In May 2023, BCcampus is running a 5-part OER Production Series. The online sessions will cover finding OER, working in PressBooks, and accessibility. You can register for the ones you are interested in individually.
On March 6th, 2023, BCIT hosted an event for Open Education week: The collaborative creation of Buds, Branches and Bark: A Guide to Winter Identification in the Pacific Northwest, a BCIT OER textbook. Video of the event is now available.
On May 26th, 2022, BCIT’s Educational Technology and Learning Design Committee (part of Education Council) voted to endorse use of OpenETC for open education purposes. Learn more about the OpenETC and what it has to offer.
What is open education?
Open Education encompasses resources, tools and practices that are free of legal, financial and technical barriers and can be fully used, shared and adapted in the digital environment. Open Education maximizes the power of the Internet to make education more affordable, accessible and effective (SPARC).
Why use open educational resources?
A few advantages of using and developing open educational resources (OER):
- OER is shared in digital format so it is easy to add openly licensed materials to online learning management systems. Learn about adopting OER.
- Open licenses give various permissions that usually allow the user to retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute the materials. Learn about licensing.
- OER encompasses a wide range of materials including textbooks, presentation slides, handouts, videos, images, and much more. Learn how to find materials.
- Instructors have control over the learning materials they use in their classroom – OER can be customized or created to support class learning outcomes. Learn about adapting OER.
- Students can engage in meaningful class work to help create or improve open learning materials. Learn about open pedagogy.
- Courses with low or no learning materials costs provide a significant advantage to students in lowering financial barriers to post-secondary education. Learn about OER impact.
In the 2021/22 Mandate Letter [PDF] from the Province, BCIT is expected to ensure that programs are affordable and that “post-secondary education and training must be available to all who want and need it”.
Open can help with this by reducing financial barriers.
Open BCIT Updates
ZTC
The Associate Certificate in the Fundamentals of Water and Wastewater Operations program is BCIT’s first zero textbook cost (ZTC) certification. Congratulations to the School of Construction and the Environment!
The program curriculum takes full advantage of open education resources and practices. Students enrolled in the program will not be required to purchase any additional textbooks or resources.
OER at BCIT
Currently, there are 14 BCIT faculty authored Open Textbooks included in the BCcampus BC Open Textbook Collection. Inclusion in the collections means that the textbooks have met expectations for quality, relevancy, and ability to meet the needs of post-secondary faculty, students, and institutions within B.C. and Canada. Open BCIT awards Open Education Grants to faculty to help promote and support the development of open educational resources. Completed projects can be found in our Showcase, and files for download are in the BCIT Open Collection repository.
Engineering Systems Dynamics Modelling, Simulation, and Design: Lagrangian and Bond Graph Methods
By Mehrzad Tabatabaian
This open education resource presents effective system modelling methods, including Lagrangian and bond graph, and the application of a relevant engineering software tool, 20-sim. The content is designed for engineering students and professionals in the field to support their understanding and application of these methods for modelling, simulation, and design of engineering systems. The text also includes videos showing selected worked-out examples.