"The adoption of OER has transformed my approach to teaching by integrating more diverse and accessible materials that directly cater to student needs and contemporary subjects. These resources have not only enriched the learning environment, but also significantly reduced the financial burden on my students, making education more inclusive and equitable.
Finding and integrating OER into the curriculum was an enlightening journey. With a plethora of quality resources available, the challenge was selecting the most relevant content that aligned with our learning objectives. The process involved evaluating various sources for accuracy and comprehensiveness, which was initially time-consuming but ultimately rewarding as it led to a more tailored educational experience.
Using OER has encouraged me to continuously seek out and incorporate innovative learning tools, fostering an educational atmosphere that is both dynamic and student-focused. I hope my insights inspire my colleagues to explore the benefits of OER and consider how these resources might enhance their own teaching and student engagement.
Thank you for spearheading this initiative and for supporting our efforts to make learning more accessible at CNC.
I’m using open texts either exclusively or as an addition to the main textbook in all of my courses."
--Faculty in Human Services, UT & Business Studies
"I use Perspectives: An open invitation to cultural anthropology, which is a textbook created by anthropologists all over the U.S. in partnership with the AAA (American Anthropological Association). Each chapter has a different author, or set of authors, and they bring in a lot of their own stories and experiences, which I particularly like for the students. They can learn not only what we study, but see how anthropologists can then use that information in their fieldwork and research. The textbook is online and can be downloaded as a PDF as well. It doesn't have all of the add-ons that other digital textbooks have, such as quizzes or interactive portions, but it is very easy to use and, being a PDF, students can still use text to audio services and highlight/comment within their version easily.
In terms of accessibility though, it is wonderful. I had a lot of issues in previous semesters where students, particularly new international students, weren't expecting to also buy a textbook on top of paying tuition. It would usually then lead to a long period where for the first few weeks, some students wouldn't have the textbook yet and would be trying to use either a library copy or sharing from other students. Particularly with classes that have quizzes, which I do, it meant a lot of going back and forth and reopening quizzes for students who didn't have the funds for the textbook right away. Now, I can start class content immediately as students aren't required to go to the bookstore (for a book or a code) or try to find a cheaper version on Amazon and wait for it to come in.
I also think, just in terms of practicality, having a free e-book or other digital content is just better for students who have registered for a class and decide to drop later on. If they've bought a textbook, they likely wouldn't be able to sell it back for the same price that they bought it for. And beyond the semester, very few students will ever actually use that textbook again. Also, if it's a text that gets updated every year or so, selling it may not even be an option if new students can't use it.
Overall, I'd highly recommend! I create my own readings for 2nd year courses, so I find articles, book chapters, etc. and give those to my students. It means that they have access to material that they might not otherwise and can see a variety of information, writing styles, theoretical positions, etc. It also means that I can start class immediately and get them to start on readings in the first week. But, generally speaking, I think school should be free anyway, so I try to make it cheaper and more accessible on my end when possible."
--CNC Faculty in Human Services, UT & Business Studies