The Affordable Learning Tennessee project was funded through a One UT Collaboration and Innovation Grants grant in the spring of 2020. The Affordable Learning Tennessee project’s purpose is to create sustainable pathways for collaboration to support educational excellence through the growth and development of open and affordable course materials initiatives in the UT System.
Development of the virtual infrastructure supports collaboration resulting in the removal of barriers to cross-institutional growth and program development. Our ultimate goal is the reduction of the cost of education for students in Tennessee.
Grant funds have supported the development of a state-wide open and affordable course materials web resource. We work to publicize and promote Open and Affordable Educational Resources (OER/AER) initiatives at UT System institutions. The project also established a system-wide Affordable Learning Tennessee Council to serve as an ongoing venue for collaboration. Council representatives come from all UT Campuses and Institutions to promote partnerships across units within each UT System campus and institute. We collaborate with other THEC Institutions for the purpose of encouraging initiatives related to the creation and adoption of open and affordable course materials.
ALT Council Membership
UTC
Rachel Fleming, Scholarly Communications Librarian
Kellie Wright, UTC Bookstore Manager
Darrell Meece, Professor, School of Education
UTK
Grace Therrell, Online Learning Librarian
Miriam Larson, Instructional Designer and E-Learning Developer
Jennifer Gramling, Director of Online Programs
Joan Thomas, IT Manager
Shirley Streeter, Assistant Director, Volbooks
Randy Davis, Sr. Associate Director, Volshop
Rachel Caldwell, Scholarly Communication Librarian
UTM
Erica Bell, Director of Regional Centers and Online Programs
Ben Guyer, Professor, Department of History
Saman Sargolzaei, Assistant Professor, Department of Engineering
UTHSC
Jess Newman, Assistant Professor, Research Data and Scholarly Communications Lead
UT System
Leigh Cherry, Coordinator for Student Success Initiatives
