Session 1D | Open Music Theory Version 2: A Multi-Institutional Model for Developing Open Online Textbooks

This presentation provides a practical model for how teams of authors across multiple institutions can collaboratively write a useful and sustainable online textbook. It takes as its case study Open Music Theory Version 2 (https://viva.pressbooks.pub/openmusictheory/), a natively-online open educational resource intended to serve as the primary text and workbook for undergraduate music theory curricula. Authored by seven faculty members at six different institutions, OMT2 was supported primarily by a $30,000 Course Redesign grant from Virginia’s Academic Library Consortium (VIVA) (https://vivalib.org/viva/homepage). Drawing from their experiences authoring OMT2, the presenters articulate a coherent model for assembling a multi-institutional team of authors, seeking grant funding, and establishing a clear division of labor. The importance of internal style guides, templates, and non-author editors is highlighted. The presenters detail various online platforms and software for efficient project management, then enumerate the many benefits of a multi-institutional approach to OER authorship.