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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Dear Colleagues:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">My name is Daniel Hocutt, and I'm a web manager and adjunct professor of liberal arts at the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, where I teach composition, business and professional communication,
and research methods. I'm conducting research into adoption, adaptation, and use of open educational resources (OER) in technical and professional communication (TPC) classes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">If you've <b>adopted</b>, <b>
adapted</b>, <b>used</b> -- or <b>chosen <i>not</i> to use</b> -- OER in a TPC class anytime within the past year in a U.S. higher education institution, your participation would be valued. Participation by instructors in both contingent and permanent positions
is especially important in this study.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">If you currently teach or recently taught TPC classes, please complete the survey:
<a href="https://richmond.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_81ip2dLDpnUefR4">https://richmond.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_81ip2dLDpnUefR4</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">If the link doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL in your browser. The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete. Your participation, and widespread sharing of this survey among colleagues, is appreciated.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">My research goal is to help our field establish a baseline understanding of how widespread OER use may be in classrooms, and to explore and better understand how OER use may influence course design. I hope
that results may provide OER authors guidance on the type and design of resources that TPC instructors need.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">A Couple of Details</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">This project has been determined to be exempt from 45 CFR 46 regulations by the University of Richmond IRB (URIRB210611). For this study, I'm using the OER Commons'
<a href="https://help.oercommons.org/support/solutions/articles/42000046846-introduction-to-oer">
definition</a> of OER: "OER are teaching, learning and research materials in any medium – digital or otherwise – that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by
others with no or limited restrictions."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Thank you for consideration. I look forward to collecting and sharing results in the near future! If you have questions about this study, please contact me off-list at
<a href="mailto:dhocutt@richmond.edu">dhocutt@richmond.edu</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Warm regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Daniel<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">---<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Daniel L. Hocutt, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Web Manager, Marketing & Engagement<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Adjunct Professor, Liberal Arts – Technical Communication<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"><a href="https://spcs.richmond.edu/"><span style="color:#0563C1">School of Professional & Continuing Studies</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">University of Richmond, VA 23173<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">804-287-6658 /
<a href="mailto:dhocutt@richmond.edu"><span style="color:#0563C1">dhocutt@richmond.edu</span></a> /
<a href="https://danielhocutt.com/"><span style="color:#0563C1">danielhocutt.com</span></a></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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