Open Educational Resources: The ISU Textbook Affordability Initiative and Student Succ

Abstract

Many have observed that completion and affordability are critical challenges for higher education today in terms of student success. One method being adopted internationally to address such challenges is integration of freely available Open Educational Resources (OER) in course content. OER can address the rising costs of attending college by reducing the overall cost of expensive college textbooks. However, by providing OER in lieu of textbooks, faculty do more than just address student debt concerns. OER can facilitate student learning by reducing student stress in obtaining required materials, and by engaging students in course content using such resources as OER interactive media. This poster describes how OER can enhance student learning in general, and reviews the ISU Textbook Affordability Initiative. This initiative has helped reduce ISU students’ financial burden by decreasing the need to purchase college textbooks, specifically in Foundational Studies courses, and courses required for academic majors, saving our students $3,008,743.40 (FY14 through FY19) to date. The initiative, administered by the ISU Library, involves library faculty and instructional designers working with faculty to convert their courses via a systematic, pedagogically informed process. In addition to OER integration into existing course content, OER textbooks created through the initiative are used in the university’s College Challenge Program, which is a dual credit program that enables high school students to earn ISU college credit in courses taught at their local high schools.