There were a number of new features and improvements that have been included in the OpenLab updates during Spring-Fall 2024 that may be of interest for OER. 

New Features

OpenLab Modules

The MSEIP grant “Connect the DOTS” funded the creation of a custom plugin called Openlab Modules, which allows anyone to create modules on an OpenLab site. 

A module is a collection of related information, grouped together for easy and convenient access, that is shareable and remixable. It could be a review of a particular topic for a course, an introduction to a subject, an online professional development unit, a collection of related works of art, information about a research project, or any other collection of related content.

You can see it in action on the “Designing for Access” OER Accessibility module.

‘Open’ badge 

The definition of the ‘Open’ badge in course, project, club, and portfolio directories was expanded to include all courses, projects, and clubs with either a public profile or a public site. Previously the badge was only applied when both were public. 

Plugins

There were a few new plugins added:

  • Enable Media Replace allows site admins to swap out a previous version of a file for a new one. Rather than just changing the file in the media library, it will swap out the file on any pages or posts where that file was included, saving site admins from having to update each post or page where the file was included.
  • Zotpress allows you to connect your OpenLab site with your Zotero library for easy citations and bibliography creation.

In addition, the following plugins were deactivated because they’re no longer being maintained by their developers:

  • Category Sticky Post
  • Highlighter Pro
  • Setmore Plus
  • ShareThis 

Please contact the OpenLab team with any questions!

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