Chicano Studies ZTC Award Program

Chicano Studies faculty currently using traditional textbooks, library resources, and/or OER are invited to participate in this new ZTC Award Program, which has three primary objectives:

1. Establish a Chicano Studies Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Degree pathway, which includes:
   • Increasing the total number of ZTC course sections in Chicano Studies
   • Increasing the number of General Education ZTC sections to institutionalize the Chicano Studies pathway
2. Encourage technical compliance among Chicano Studies ZTC course sections, including:
   • Alignment of resources (OER and/or library) to the course objectives listed in the Course Outline of Record (COR)
   • Accessibility of selected resources
   • Appropriate licensing
3. Share materials used in ZTC Chicano Studies course sections within the Department, District, and the California Digital Open Source Library.

ZTC course sections may be established in two ways:

• adopt or adapt existing OER material and/or
• adopt LACCD library resources 

In both cases, all learning materials must be aligned to course objectives. You will have support from the ZTC program coordinator, Meghan Cason, throughout this process. 

All awardees must use the ZTC materials associated with their awards in teaching assignments by Fall 2026 and make a commitment to keep their course ZTC for at least the next three academic years. 

Awards will be dispersed through goal completion milestones, which must be completed in the order outlined below. Faculty are encouraged to work ahead of the stated deadlines. Awards may be split among faculty who wish to work in teams and divide the workload. Please contact the ZTC coordinator if you are interested in working as a team.

LAVC's ZTC degree pathway in Chicano Studies is being established in partnership with Pierce College.

Award amount: $500

Tier 1, Step 1: OER Orientation, CC Licensing, and Information Ethics

• If you have previously completed LAVC’s “Intro to OER” Canvas course taught by Meghan Cason and/or attended the OERI’s “OER Basics” webinars (parts 1 & 2), you must complete the Intro to Creative Commons Licenses self-paced Canvas module (not sure if you have taken the LAVC course or attended the webinars? Email casonmg@lavc.edu to find out). 
• If you have not taken the course or attended the webinars, you must watch the archived versions of OER Basics Part I and OER Basics Part II. Then complete the Intro to Creative Commons Licenses self-paced Canvas module.

Tier 1, Step 2: Accessibility & OER 

Self-enroll in the ASCCC OERI’s Accessibility Basics Canvas course. Submit screenshots of your final grade and completion badge.

Tier 1, Step 3: Action Plan

Submit an individualized action plan. Your plan will include:

• Scope of work required to adopt/adapt/revise OER and/or curate library resources. Please consider and address potential accessibility issues. 
• Share concerns and address barriers. If extra support is needed, please describe. 
• Recommended: create a Google folder, Canvas dev shell, or other location in which you can save potential learning materials and develop modules.

Award amount: $1000

• Attend at least one meeting with Meghan Cason to plan for Learning Materials Alignment.  
• Submit your Learning Materials Alignment Blueprint. Your Blueprint will include:
  • Existing OER(s) you plan to adopt/adapt/revise and link(s) AND/OR a bibliography of library resources with links
  • Course objective alignment grid: Your OERs and library resources should meet the course objectives in the COR. Your grid must demonstrate how each chapter or resource satisfies the objective. All course objectives from the COR must be aligned with learning materials.
  • Plans for hosting your OER (Canvas? Google Drive? LibreTexts?  A combination?)
  • Include any plans/considerations for print-on-demand. 

Award amount: $500 - $1000

• Submit your Learning Materials Alignment Blueprint (and all associated resources) for review by other Chicano Studies faculty (note: this may include faculty at LAPC) -- $500
  • Your Blueprint and associated Learning Materials will be evaluated according to a rubric, which will be provided by LAVC and LAPC's ZTC coordinators. 
  • You must submit a response to reviewer feedback, which may include implementation of recommendations.
• Evaluate a Chicano Studies colleague's Learning Materials Alignment Blueprint and associated resources according to the same rubric -- $500

Award amount: $1000; must be completed by Aug 31, 2026 

• Finalize your ZTC course content in your syllabus and, if applicable, Canvas.
• Make your ZTC course content available in a place where students can access it. 
• Submit a screenshot from the class schedule showing your course(s) to be zero cost.
• Share your work with your department colleagues 
  • Examples: post in Canvas Commons, create a shared Google Drive for your department, invite your colleagues to a Canvas dev shell, share at a department or area meeting.
  • Some faculty may be eligible to build a ZTC Canvas Master Class that can be shared with colleagues for an additional financial award. Terms and Conditions apply.
• Suggestion: Work with your departmental colleagues to revise the Course Outline(s) of Record (COR) to include OER/library resources in the list of representative textbooks.  

Bonus award:

• $1000 if you build a ZTC Canvas Master Class that can be shared with colleagues -- details coming soon!