Add as a preferred source on Google

OpenStax Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Providing Open Educational Resources

  • By Matt Jones
  • 12/10/24

OpenStax, which expands access of K–12 and higher-education resources and research-informed educational tools, is celebrating its 25th anniversary as 2024 comes to a close, according to a news release. The educational initiative from Rice University has served almost 37 million students in 153 countries and saved students nearly $3 billion in educational costs since its launch in 1999.

OpenStax launched in 1999 as Connexions, an OER (open educational resources) repository open to the public at large to find and piece together instructional materials. In 2012, the company transitioned to OpenStax and published its first open-license, peer-reviewed college textbook. And in August of this year, OpenStax began a partnership with Google to provide its resources to Google’s Gemini AI tool.

“Celebrating 25 years of OpenStax is a testament to the power of open education and the collective commitment to making learning accessible to all,” said Richard Baraniuk, founder and director of OpenStax. “From the seeds of an idea to building a large library of OER and now to creating personalized, interactive learning tools that meet students where they are, we have been continually inspired to make an amazing education accessible to all.”

The OpenStax library consists of more than 70 comprehensive digital learning textbooks featuring culturally relevant and standards-aligned resources for both students and teachers. The organization formally expanded into the K–12 sphere in 2021.

“We’re grateful to the faculty, schools, students, funders, authors, advocates and partners who have walked this path with us and helped make OpenStax what it is today,” said OpenStax Managing Director Daniel Williamson. “We pioneered an industry built around open resources, an industry that has been shown to drive innovation and increase competition, ultimately allowing for improved student access to high-quality learning materials. Our success is a reflection of the work done by the OpenStax team, the open education community and a vast ecosystem of partners and institutions.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

  • Texas State University Completes Stadium Renovations

    Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, recently announced that it has completed a series of additions and renovations to its football stadium, according to a news release. Formerly known as the Bobcat Stadium End Zone Complex, the Johnny and Nathali Weisman Football Performance Center is an 85,000-square-foot expansion featuring hospitality spaces, banquet spaces, exterior concourses, and upgrades to the field house.

  • Florida SouthWestern State College, Skanska Partner for Humanities Hall Renovation

    Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) in Fort Myers, Fla., recently announced that it is partnering with construction firm Skanska to renovate the school’s Humanities Hall, according to a news release.

  • iPark 87

    Building a Future-Focused Career and Technical Education Center

    A district superintendent shares his team's journey to aligning student passions with workforce demands, and why their new CTE center could be a model for districts nationwide.

Digital Edition