OER Commons: Free Learning Materials for Teachers and Students

OER Commons is a free online library where teachers and students can find, use, and share educational materials without paying anything. The platform solves a big problem - college students spend over $1,200 per year on textbooks, and 65% of students skip buying required books because they cost too much. Open Educational Resources (OER) are different from regular textbooks because they have special licenses that let anyone use them for free. Teachers can change these materials to fit their students' needs, mix them with other resources, and share them with colleagues. OER Commons has over 50,000 learning resources that teachers can search by grade level, subject, and education standards. The platform also provides tools for teachers to create their own materials and join groups to work together. Created in 2007 with support from the Hewlett Foundation, OER Commons helps make quality education available to everyone, regardless of how much money they have. The platform serves millions of educators worldwide and includes features like accessibility support for students with disabilities.

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FamiliesEducation Tech Company Allelo Makes Top 200 in Big ContestAllelo, an education technology company from Pittsburgh, was chosen as one of 200 finalists in a major startup contest called the GSV Cup. This contest is the world's biggest competition for education technology companies, with over $1 million in prizes. Allelo beat out more than 750 other companies from around the world to make it to this level. The company creates tools that help students have better online discussions and conversations in their classes. Teachers can use Allelo's artificial intelligence features to see how well students participate and stay on topic during online discussions. The company was started by engineering students from Carnegie Mellon University. Now they will compete at a big education conference in San Diego for the chance to win cash prizes and investment money. The contest shows how technology is changing education, especially after the pandemic made online learning more important. More than half of the winning companies have female founders, and many are led by people of color, showing growing diversity in the tech industry.