Why Choose OER? What Does Research Say?

Open Educational Resources (OER) have become popularized over the last several years. OER is defined as resources “that are openly available for use by educators and students, without an accompanying need to pay royalties or license fees” (qtd in Thoms et al. 2). There are a plethora of free resources, including textbooks, audio and visual materials, and learning-based websites that educators frequently use to supplement instruction or as the primary resource within their course. Each of these resources can be classified as OER and is often shared by a Creative Commons license which permits others to “revise, remix, reuse, and/or redistribute” the resource without copyright concerns (Thoms et al. 2).

Nowadays, higher education comes at a high cost, and this is just one of the reasons more and more educators are embracing OEP, namely OER. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights has deemed that “higher education shall be equally accessible to all.” However, Sara Goldrick-Rab points out that “the likelihood of earning a college degree is tied to family income.” The cost of textbooks is a contributor to the rising cost of education. Goldrick-Rab shares statistics that emphasize how many students have been impacted in recent years:

• “23% of low-income sophomores worked a job between the hours of 10 pm-8 am.
• Survey at 10 community colleges (4312 students responding): 20% of students were hungry, 13% were homeless.
• 50-80% of sticker price comes from non-tuition costs.
• The average net price for a year at community college equals 40% of a low-income family’s annual income.
• A year at a public university ranges from 16-25% of a middle-class family’s annual income.
• 60% of Americans ages 25-64 do not have a college credential, but 22% of them earned credits trying to get one.”

A study done in 2012 revealed that the average cost of college textbooks has risen four times the rate of inflation since 1994 (Wiley et al., “Dramatically” 3); alternatively, one source claimed a 1,041 percent increase in textbook costs from 1977 to 2015 (Cozart et al. 1) Textbooks typically account for roughly 26% of the cost of tuition at a public, four-year university (Wiley et al., “Dramatically” 3). Michael Hansen, CEO of Cengage (textbook company), reiterates this point with a harrowing synopsis:

There are millions of students out there who are making very painful trade-offs in the purchase of learning materials in relative to paying the rent, paying for basic needs, food, etc. We as an industry have chosen as a long time to basically ignore that–or have more or less been paying lip service to them” (as qtd in DeRosa).

Many studies have shown that the cost of textbooks contributes to whether or not students choose to take specific courses. Additionally, according to Cozart et al., 30% of students choose not to purchase textbooks due to the high cost (2). This undoubtedly contributes to lower grades in the course and less retention of pertinent information.

The financial case for OER is abundantly clear. One study by Senack even estimated that if just one undergraduate course for each student each semester used OER textbooks, nationwide student savings would accumulate to 1.5 billion dollars per year (Cozart et al. 3). Colleges and universities stand to gain financially as well. Students who find a university affordable are more likely to be retained, and higher student retention equates to more tuition dollars for the university (DeRosa and Robison 116).

OER certainly provides fiscal benefits for students. But what about learning outcomes? Do students learn the content as well using OER as with traditional textbooks? Several studies have confirmed that students do just as well, if not better, on student outcomes, including course assessments, when courses adopt an OER textbook (Cozart et al. 4). In fact, according to Colvard et al., “OER improved end of course grades and decreased DFW rates for all students…They also improve course grades at greater rates and decrease DFW at greater rates for Pell recipient students, part-time students, and populations historically underserved by higher education.”

Part of this could be that teachers often lend a hand in curating OER content for their courses–perhaps in remixing or adapting open materials. The students then find the material more closely tied to course outcomes and, therefore, more relevant. Additionally, OER textbooks are available on the first day of the semester. This equitable access ensures that all students have the materials they need to be successful in the course. Additionally, studies have shown that students prefer courses that utilize OER because the content is generally more “up-to-date.” Finally, students expressed more engagement in OER courses due to perceptions of increased instructor interest in the subject matter. If an instructor takes the time to review, adapt, and change OER to fit the needs of the class, chances are that instructor is well-prepared and knowledgeable about the content of the course (Cozart et al. 4).