This session shares the story of how an introductory decision analytics course moved from a misaligned commercial textbook to the adoption of open educational resources. The effort began with the recognition that available materials were poorly suited to the needs of business students. In response, a customized course was developed using curated OER content, primarily from OpenStax, and refined through multiple pilot iterations. Over three years, the initiative evolved through ongoing conversations between lead instructors and departmental leadership, with a focus on aligning content and delivery with faculty priorities such as student success and efficient grading. In addition, leadership concerns about quality and sustainability were addressed and resolved. The course now serves over 2,000 students annually. This presentation highlights practical strategies for navigating resistance and identifying stakeholder motivations to support successful OER adoption.
Attendees of this session will be able to:- Identify strategies for aligning OER initiatives with both faculty needs and institutional priorities.
- Recognize common sources of resistance to OER adoption and how they can be addressed effectively.
- Evaluate the role of stakeholder motivations in gaining departmental and administrative support.
- Assess how pilot implementations can be used to demonstrate instructional quality and financial impact.
