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Why I Use and Write Open Textbooks by Dr. Oscar Levin, UNC Associate Professor

08/23/2019
profile-icon Jen Mayer
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It is easy to go with one of the "standard" textbooks for your class, especially when the publisher's rep takes you out to lunch and describes all the fancy new features that their online homework systems and ebook now offer (you probably won't use these, but its nice to know they are available).  It is easy to convince yourself that, even though students might have to by over $200 for the book, the price of the book will eventually be worth it to students, given the wealth of information it contains (maybe they can find a used copy). And it is easy to use the textbook as a pedagogical backstop: to teach your class like you would anyway, leaning on your own expertise, and then being surprised when students struggle (did they even read the textbook?).

The above certainly doesn't describe everyone, but it did describe me about five years ago.  The possibility of using Open Textbooks allowed me to reflect on the way I used, and didn't use, textbooks in my teaching.  Partly because few students would read the textbook ahead of time, and partly because I wanted to give my students value beyond what they could buy in a book, I had drifted away from using textbooks as anything more than a course outline and repository for homework problems.  These functions do not require students have a textbook, so why have a textbook at all?  The solution: if the textbook is free for students, there is no harm in adopting it.  There is no harm in adopting multiple books or to writing modules to cover material books don't get quite right.  After a few semesters, these materials can be compiled into one coherent textbook tailored perfectly for our students.

What I describe here might not be easy, but we should take up the challenge to improve the educational experience of our students. 

 

 

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Choosing OER as an Equitable Pedagogical Practice by Dr. Cassie Bergstrom, Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences and Dr. Molly Jameson, Interim Director of CETL
03/05/2024
profile-icon Nancy A. Henke
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Dr. Cassie Bergstrom (CB), Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences, and Dr. Molly Jameson (MJ), Interim Director of CETL, recently sat down to talk about OER.

MJ: Thanks so much for talking with me today, Dr. Bergstrom. So, can you tell us a little bit about what OER means?

CB: Sure! OER are open educational resources or materials that can be used in classes free of cost. These resources can also be modified by faculty to best fit their goals for classes. The result is materials that are adaptable and closely fit the course's goals and have the additional benefit of free access for both students and faculty.

MJ: That sounds helpful for both instructors and students. What are some of the benefits of using OER for instructors?

CB: For instructors, benefits include adopting or adapting materials that most closely fit the learning objectives they have for their students. If students don’t need to buy a textbook, it also means that all students (regardless of their financial situation) will have access to the course materials that are essential for learning. An additional benefit for instructors is the possibility of working with and sharing materials with other instructors, creating a sense of community and shared purpose.

MJ: I can totally see that. I also really like your point about how OER results in materials that fit the course goals, which is an important part of strong course design. I know when I used regular textbooks, there were often chapters I would skip or sections within chapters that I did not use. But with OER, I can use only specific chapters or even specific sections from open access texts. How about the benefits of using OER for students?

CB: For students, the primary benefit is avoiding the costs of traditional textbooks! Textbooks are often not covered by financial aid and that means that students who might not be financially secure may choose to share or go without required textbooks, impacting students’ learning and grades. It is quite challenging to learn the content when you cannot afford the book, so OER allows all students access to the material.

MJ: Traditional textbooks ARE expensive! I remember several years ago a student told me that they had to choose between buying textbooks and paying their rent that month. That’s ridiculous! Because OER are open and affordable, it sounds more accessible to students from diverse backgrounds, like first-generation students or financially insecure students. Is that right?

CB: That’s right. Using OER in classes reduces the barrier of high-cost instructional materials for all students, but they have the highest impact on students who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Often OER are integrated right into the course’s Canvas shell, making them easy to find and accessible. Additionally, students can access the OER right at the beginning of a course, not needing to wait for a textbook to ship or for financial aid to come in to access the course materials.

MJ: That is so important for student success. It sounds like OER are beneficial to everyone involved. Are there any downsides to using OER?

CB: There are some things to be aware of. First, it’s important to make sure that students know how to access the materials for the course. If students have patchy internet access at their homes, it might be beneficial for them to be able to download the resources. Second, it does take a bit of time on the instructor’s end to find and integrate OERs into a preexisting course. However, we do have some wonderful resources at UNC to help with this process!

MJ: Why do you think some instructors are hesitant to make the jump into OER? Or why are there not more instructors using OER?

CB: Those are great questions. I think some instructors get very connected to the textbooks they use for courses, particularly if they have used the same text for years. There’s also a lack of knowledge about where to find OER materials that would be a good fit and how to collect and utilize these materials in courses. Finally, trying out new things can be a bit scary! Instructors have often used textbooks both as students and faculty, so adapting to a new way to consider course materials can be a bit intimidating.

MJ: As an instructor who uses OER, what is your biggest piece of advice for people who want to adopt OER in their classrooms?

CB: Try it out!  You can take small steps towards using OER, like trying them out for one unit or one topic in a class. Also, I highly encourage folks who are interested in learning more about OER to attend some of the activities during Open Ed week or to reach out to people in their departments who have used OER or Nancy Henke, our textbook affordability librarian at UNC.

MJ: What can centers that focus on teaching and learning, like CETL, do to enhance and improve OER use to supplement teaching and learning?

CB: I think integrating information about OER into multiple areas of content would help improve the visibility and understanding of what OER entail and why they are beneficial. Not only do they help support students and student learning, but they can enhance the fit between instructional materials and instructors’ learning objectives for students.

MJ: Dr. Bergstrom, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today about OER. I have shifted several of my classes to OER, and after our conversation today, I see a few places where I can start to make some more small changes. I am also very thankful for your advice for CETL, and I look forward to continued collaborations to enhance OER, teaching, and learning here at UNC!

Education, Open Initiatives & Resources
Open Educational Resources – A Graduate Student Perspective by Teresa Henderson, UNC Professional Counseling Graduate Student
01/26/2021
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As a master’s student in professional counseling, I would estimate I spent nearly $500 on textbooks  during my first year in the program, with the book content ranging from the basic introduction to the counseling profession, to diagnostic manuals and treatment planning resources. While I am excited to be pursuing my dreams, especially as a first-generation student, the cost of higher education has become an increasingly salient issue for me as I have progressed through my education. I often find myself wondering, when all is said and done and I walk across the stage as Dr. Henderson someday, how much will I have spent on my education, on tuition and books, from my bachelor’s degree to my doctorate? I know I am not alone in wondering this and feel that it has become a question that many students find themselves asking. The cost of education, and the materials that go along with our education, have become a substantial barrier for many to academic success. Some may argue that if students cannot afford the textbooks for classes, they can use their university library’s resources, but with limited resources that are often utilized by more than one student, many are left scrambling to access course materials that often determine their success in the course. While student success is a multi-faceted issue, I feel that we set many of our students up for failure by requiring expensive textbooks for courses, especially courses that are required to complete a degree. How can we address this textbook issue so that students have financially friendly options for class materials as they work toward their goals?

            I first learned of open educational resources (OER) during my first semester of graduate school. In search of a job, I had applied for a position with UNC’s University Libraries as an OER graduate student employee. I remember reading through the job description and thinking to myself, “This position sounds great, and I think I’m qualified, but I have no idea what OER is!” Luckily, I landed the position, and had the opportunity to steadily learn all about OER for the next few months. The benefits of using OER in classrooms quickly became clear, and I realized that increasing the use of OER materials could help to alleviate some of the financial burden for students in higher education. However, I found myself wondering why I had not heard of OER before, and why professors were not using these resources in place of expensive textbooks more often. If we have the tools to make higher education more accessible and affordable, why aren’t we using them? I wonder if part of the issue stems from common misconceptions of OER, with one of the biggest misconceptions about OER materials being that because they are free, they must be of lower quality. While I am sure that OER materials exist out there which certainly are of lower quality, the materials I have come across and worked with during my time with University Libraries have been of overwhelmingly high quality. Many sites which offer collections of OER also offer rating systems for individual materials and provide users an opportunity to leave honest reviews and even suggestions for changing the material. In fact, one of the coolest aspects of OER is how customizable the content often is; using OER offers professors the opportunity to edit materials to better fit the focus of the course and its unique learning outcomes. While integrating OER into a course can be a learning curve, plenty of resources exist to make the process easier. To the professors considering OER, I encourage you to learn more and give it a chance; in making the jump to using OER, we provide our students with customized, high-quality, and affordable materials that contribute to their learning and overall success in higher education.

Educational Technology
Open Educational Resources by Willy Maxwell, UNC Bookstore Manager
07/15/2019
profile-icon Jen Mayer
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image of Willy Maxwell, UNC Bookstore managerOpen educational resources (OER) learning materials are openly licensed digital educational materials that can be used instead of traditional textbooks and other courseware. The concept has been available for some time but is emerging now as a viable option to reduce the cost of learning materials while still providing rich, up-to-date content.

A recent study finds that one in nine students currently uses OER materials, and of that group, more than half use it to supplement print or digital textbooks. Instructors that consider price when selecting course materials may achieve the goal of reducing costs by assigning more OER. Professors can design courses on their own by building on available content from OER aggregators that host large collections of open resources. The process requires careful vetting to ensure the materials are high quality, peer reviewed and formatted properly.

Another option is to adopt OER content curated by a third party. For example, Lumen Learning reviews content from a variety of sources, selects the best available OER and adds timely updates, learning design and technical support to produce effective courseware for introductory courses, general education and developmental education available through an LMS. Working with Follett, students are charged only $10 to $25, which represents a significant savings compared to the cost of traditional learning materials. OER have already proven to increase student success measured by course completions and grades earned of a C or better. Students using OER enjoy an average of 83 percent savings with the same or better learning outcomes.

 

Education