Rockland Community College Awarded $51,557 Grant to Enhance Digital Literacy and OER Access

Rockland Community College (RCC) is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a $51,557 grant from the Office of the SUNY Provost and the Innovative Instruction Research Council. This grant will support a year-long project titled "The Digital/Print Divide: Bridging the Gap to Promote Equitable Access to Digital OER Across the Disciplines."

The project involves collaboration among eight RCC faculty members across eight disciplines, which includes faculty from SUNY Potsdam and several other SUNY institutions. The goal is to improve digital literacy among faculty and students. By taking an inclusive approach, the initiative aims to benefit the entire SUNY system, enhancing the effectiveness of Open Educational Resources (OER) and ensuring equal access to digital content.

The grant was awarded through the Innovative Instruction Technology Grants (IITG) program, which is open to SUNY faculty and support staff from all disciplines. The program encourages the development of innovations aligned with the Power of SUNY's transformative vision. Grant recipients, including RCC, will share project outcomes in the SUNY Learning Commons, allowing colleagues across SUNY to replicate and expand upon these innovations.

Rockland Community College's Open Educational Resources (OER) Committee has rapidly expanded its membership, representing diverse disciplines across the institution, in response to the increasing adoption of OER in classrooms. "Building on the Committee's and SUNY's mission of promoting equity and access, we recognize the need for research-based training for faculty and students, focusing on effective digital literacy strategies to enhance the use of OER," said Rachel Kraushaar, Associate Professor of English. "The SUNY IITG grant has provided us with the opportunity to implement these practices at RCC and share them with other SUNY campuses."

Rachel Kraushaar and Talia Lipton, Associate Professor of Communication/Speech, co-lead the IITG Grant initiative, spearheading the project with eight other faculty and staff members. The team is dedicated to advancing the mission of improving access to educational resources and fostering meaningful engagement through innovative digital literacy initiatives.

Rockland Community College is committed to expanding its OER offerings across various disciplines. The English 101 and Communication/Speech 101 courses, which fulfill the written and oral general education requirements, have successfully converted to 100% OER. Building on this success, RCC is now focusing on incorporating other disciplines, such as STEM, into its OER initiative. To support this expansion, the college provides training in digital literacy for faculty and students, enabling them to navigate and effectively utilize digital content primarily available online.

In today's information-driven world, evaluating the credibility, relevance, and quality of digital resources is essential. By equipping faculty and students with these skills, RCC aims to empower them to make informed decisions about the materials they use for teaching and learning.

The project will culminate in a presentation at the SUNY CIT Conference in May 2025, highlighting the outcomes and insights gained throughout the year.

About Rockland Community College Rockland Community College (RCC), located in Suffern New York, provides purpose driven educational opportunities in a supportive, affordable, and accessible environment, empowering individuals to positively transform themselves and their communities. RCC welcomes students from diverse backgrounds who appreciate small class sizes and personal attention from a distinguished, award-winning faculty that includes Fulbright scholars and SUNY Distinguished Professors. Many graduates go on to top universities to further their education on their own or through RCC’s institutional collaborations.

RCC is also proud to provide career training and professional development to adult learners looking to change careers or upgrade their skills through a variety of programs and educational opportunities including workforce training, certifications, and micro credentials. Many of the programs are developed with employers in the community in high demand industry areas to enable graduates to move into a new career upon graduation. More information can be found at www.sunyrockland.edu.