OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES --WHY?
The Stella and Charles Guttman Community College is committed to educational equity and student success. Even with all the innovative best practices implemented in this new experimental college, some students are struggling, because they will not purchase the expensive textbooks. This is a problem nationwide. The cost of textbooks has increased almost three times the consumer price index—even higher than medical care.
- 65% of students choose not to buy a college textbook because it’s too expensive
- 94% report that they suffer academically because of this choice
- 82% of students say they would do significantly better in a course if the textbook were free online and a hard copy was optional!
- Case studies at both Houston Community College and Virginia State University suggest that classes using open textbooks have higher grades and better course completion rates
PURPOSE OF PROJECT
The purpose of this initiative is to provide an incentive for faculty to switch from an expensive textbook to high-quality, peer-reviewed open access materials linked to the learning outcomes of the course. Many colleges worldwide have switched to OER (open educational resources) and have saved students hundreds of thousands of dollars. This Guttman initiative reduces substantially or eliminates textbook costs as a barrier to student success. OER also gives faculty greater control over their instructional materials.
GOALS OF PROJECT
(1) Reduce textbook costs for students
(2) Create an OER community on campus and try to get some advocates who will share their experiences and get the OER movement going!
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