Nominate Outstanding Open Educational Resources for $2000 Honorarium
Posted February 18, 2026 in JMU Libraries News, Open Education News
Open textbooks and other open educational resources (OER) make education more accessible and affordable for Virginia students. The Virginia Open Ed Impact Award recognizes outstanding OER that have had a significant impact in higher education classes in Virginia.
You are invited to submit a nomination for an outstanding open educational resource by March 20, 2026. Self-nominations are welcome, and previously nominated OER are eligible. Editions of OER that have already received the Virginia OER Impact Award are not eligible to win again.
Three OER will be selected to receive a $2000 honorarium from SCHEV’s Open Virginia Advisory Committee (OVAC) and VIVA, Virginia’s academic library consortium. The authors of the winning projects will also be recognized with an online announcement, press release, and awards ceremony. Creators of awarded projects will present their resources at an OVAC/VIVA sponsored event in Fall 2026.
Criteria
The following criteria will be used to evaluate the nominated OER:
- Impact in Virginia (e.g. student success metrics, cost avoidance, classroom adoption, etc.)
- Innovative pedagogical approaches leading to active and inclusive learning
- Contribution to open education by addressing a need or gap in the pre-existing literature
- Digital accessibility (Title II compliant)
Dates
- Nominations are due March 20, 2026
- Awardees will be notified May 1, 2026
Contact
For more information about this award, please contact Liz Thompson at thomp3ea@jmu.edu.