Rice’s OpenStax Ally program expands opportunities for education tech providers

OpenStax, Rice University’s popular educational technology initiative, aims to expand its partnerships with technology providers by introducing an application that will bring greater access and transparency to the process of becoming an OpenStax Ally.

Although schools, colleges and universities are reopening for in-person instruction, digital learning will continue playing a major role in education. Before the pandemic, 25% of faculty and administrators said their institutions made considerable use of digital materials, according to a study by Bay View Analytics. During the pandemic, that figure rose to 71%. And a large majority of educators who were surveyed thought the use of digital materials would either continue at the same pace or grow after the pandemic.

As the demand for educational technologies continues to rise, so do the variety of needs and preferences among faculty and students. There are a wide range of educational technologies available to educators looking to bring online homework, simulations, engagement tools and more into the classroom. OpenStax will support the evolving needs of instructors and students by expanding its partnerships with organizations providing digital tools for the classroom.

OpenStax currently partners with 68 educational technology providers that offer tools for classroom engagement, adaptive courseware, content customization, simulations, online homework and more. These providers offer products and services around OpenStax’s free, openly licensed textbook content. To better connect the over 36,000 faculty using its textbooks, OpenStax is introducing an efficient and transparent process to become an OpenStax Ally.

Educational technology providers can apply during one of two periods each year. The first application period will launch on June 10 and will close on July 7. New partners will be notified in late July. Starting in 2022, applications will open at the beginning of each spring and fall semester.

“By having a more focused timeline, a more transparent application process and clear expectations, we hope to provide more support and more extensive co-marketing to every OpenStax Ally,” said Daniel Williamson, managing director of OpenStax. “At OpenStax, i our mission is to transform learning so that education works for every student. We encourage all educational technology providers who share this mission to apply to become an OpenStax Ally.”

OpenStax provides Allies with marketing and content support. When educators and students use an OpenStax Ally product, the Ally pays OpenStax a fee that helps keep openly licensed textbooks available.

OpenStax will offer three types of partnerships based on the structure of their businesses and the level of marketing support they need. OpenStax is also open to negotiating with not-for-profit organizations.

All OpenStax Allies, their products and a description of their features can be found in the OpenStax Tech Scout platform. Visit this link to learn more and access the online application.

About OpenStax
OpenStax is committed to improving access to quality learning materials. As an ed tech initiative that is part of Rice University and supported by philanthropic foundations, OpenStax provides free college and Advanced Placement textbooks that are developed and peer-reviewed by educators, as well as low-cost, personalized courseware that helps students learn. For more information, visit http://OpenStax.org.