--- title: "Reduce Costs and Increase Access by Adapting an Open-Educational Resource" type: "blog" space: "The Teaching & Learning Centre" author: "Ashley Ribbel" created: 2026-09-16T15:47:41Z updated: 2026-09-16T17:03:52Z tags: ["faculty-pd", "oer", "open-educational-resources", "professional-development", "spark-plug", "teaching", "teaching-and-learning", "teaching-and-learning-centre"] url: "https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/blogs/updates/24804/reduce-costs-and-increase-access-by-adapting-an-open-educational-resource" --- # Reduce Costs and Increase Access by Adapting an Open-Educational Resource [**View all the Teaching & Learning Centre Spark Plugs!**](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/blogs) * * * **by Lara McInnis, Michael Myers, and Elyse Hill** Are you looking for a way to make learning materials more engaging, accessible, and affordable for students? Adapting an open educational resource \(OER\) may be the best way to help you accomplish these goals. ### What is an OER? OERs are grounded in principles of **open education**, a movement that seeks to expand access to high-quality educational materials by removing financial and accessibility barriers to learning. Through openly licensed resources, educators can enhance and share relevant content from existing resources to better meet the needs of all learners. Adapting an OER involves finding an existing OER from a reliable source and tailoring it so that it aligns seamlessly with your course curriculum and keeps your students engaged throughout the course. This may include incorporating Canadian content or industry-focused examples. It can also involve creating new exercises and graphics, developing multimedia resources and interactive quizzes, and incorporating reflection questions in each chapter to enhance the learning experience. To search for a suitable OER to potentially adapt for your course, we recommend exploring the [eCampusOntario Open Library](https://openlibrary.ecampusontario.ca/), [BC Open Collection](https://collection.bccampus.ca/), and [OER Commons](https://oercommons.org/), among others. For assistance locating existing OERs in your discipline, you are encouraged to contact your [Seneca Libraries Liaison Librarian](https://library.senecapolytechnic.ca/faculty/contact). ### Seneca’s OER Grant Program \(2026-2027\) We are excited to invite applications for the OER Adaptation Grant Program for the 2026-2027 academic year. Full-time and non-full-time faculty from all current Seneca programs and schools are encouraged to apply. Priority will be given to faculty teaching courses with high student enrollment and broad program impact through the adoption of an OER. Application forms should articulate a feasible adaptation plan, a clear benefit to students, and alignment with program and institutional priorities. Chair approval is required. The OER Selection Committee will choose two successful applicants, each of whom will receive funding equivalent to one full course release for one semester during the 2026-2027 academic year. Funding recipients do not have to do this work alone. Through support from Seneca Libraries and the Teaching & Learning Centre, faculty will gain access to expertise in open education, resource discovery, accessibility, inclusive design, and interactivity. ### I’m thinking about adapting an OER for my course. What’s next? The first step is to review the [OER Grant Call for Applications 2026-2027](https://seneca.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/OERGrants/IQAU2jvsYth6Q4AtJmtuOoqOAYVZwjOxV1pMyYiPk0Dojuc?e=yo4lFt). Join us at one of our OER grant informational sessions this semester! - [OERS @ Seneca \(OER grant information session\) - Oct. 1 @ 9:50 \(virtual\)](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/events/details/4860) - [OERS @ Seneca \(OER grant information session\) - Oct. 13 @ 11:40 \(virtual\)](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/events/details/4861) - [OERS @ Seneca \(OER grant information session\) - Oct 26 @ 11:40 \(virtual\)](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/events/details/4862) When you are ready to apply, download and complete the [OER Grant Proposal Form](https://library.senecapolytechnic.ca/ld.php?content_id=38052571) and submit to oer@senecapolytechnic.ca no later than Oct. 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. Whether you’ve discovered an OER that could be updated for your subject matter, enhanced with Canadian content, or enriched with new learning activities, this grant presents an opportunity to bring your expertise to open education and help make learning more affordable and accessible for Seneca students. ### Questions? Contact oer@senecapolytechnic.ca if you have any questions. ### Resources - [OER Grant Call for Applications 2026-2027](https://seneca.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/OERGrants/IQAU2jvsYth6Q4AtJmtuOoqOAYVZwjOxV1pMyYiPk0Dojuc?e=0wlaK1) - [Seneca Libraries OER Repository](https://digitalrepository.senecapolytechnic.ca/s/oers/page/home) - [OER Adaptation Grant Proposal Form](https://library.senecapolytechnic.ca/ld.php?content_id=38052571) - [OER Application Rubric](https://seneca.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/OERGrants/IQBR7lBLajNNRJtV33wUJVNFAS8lCQuj2VAarfD1MhrjBOs?e=nFR3Ye) ### AI Disclosure Statement For this Sparkplug, Microsoft Copilot \(2026\) was used as a writing assistant to suggest revisions at the word and sentence level. Image Source: MS Stock Images * * * [**View all the Teaching & Learning Centre Spark Plugs!**](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/blogs) * * *