Vanover awarded grant to create open-resource theatre textbook

Gabriel Vanover, assistant professor of theatre, has been awarded one of just six statewide grants from the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana, Inc. (PALNI) to create an open educational resource (OER) through the organization’s PALSave Textbook Creation Grants Program.

Open educational resources are free-access online course materials, including textbooks and other tools. The availability of these no-cost resources is proving to play a vital role in student success and retention by significantly reducing costs, saving scholars millions annually.

Vanover will use the $5,000 PALSave grant to develop and author “Center Stage,” a free online textbook designed to give students an introduction to the theatrical process, following productions from concept to presentation. “Center Stage” will focus on the modern theatre and incorporate media, built-in reflection activities and guided questions for instructor-led discussions and forums.

PALNI is a non-profit library-to-library collaboration made up of 24 private, academic libraries. PALSave, financed with support from Lilly Endowment Inc., provides collaborative resources and a framework for OER awareness, education and engagement. In addition, PALSave funds and supports faculty adoptions of affordable learning materials to enhance the teaching and learning missions of private higher education in Indiana.