Institutions, faculty, legislatures, and OER producers are increasingly concerned with the growing affordability gap in education. As OER matures, the quality of the materials is improving, new services are being offered, and efficacy research is underway. The move of OER into the mainstream will be driven primarily by faculty. Outside advocates and producers of OER need to create opportunities that enhance academic freedom to drive usage. Our panel is made up of an OER publisher, an OER author, and an OER adopter/advocate. David Harris, Editor in Chief for Connexions will briefly review the rapid growth in adoptions of OpenStax College project David will also introduce three "warning" signs-mandates, work flow, and patience- that threaten to slow down the impact of OER. Dr. Barbara Illowsky, professor of statistics and co-author of Collaborative statistics, will provide an overview of OER developments in California and she will present paths to adoption that enhance academic freedom. Dr. Illowsky will also share her insights of OER deployment at De Anza College in Cupertino, California. Heather Wylie, instructor of sociology at Shasta College in California, will share the efforts being made at Shasta College to drive OER usage. Heather will also provide metrics and insights into student performance after the deployment of open text book in her sociology course. Senator Dean Florez, President of the 20MM Foundation, will provide insights into the legislative landscape and OER. Senator Florez will also discuss an approach that could be taken to incentive the use of OER and enhance academic freedom. The panel will close with a Q&A session.
