Open TextbooksAccess, Affordability, and Academic Success

David Ernst, PhDUniversity of Minnesota

@dernst

By David Ernst. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

“…higher education shall be equally accessible to all”

20%of all UK students who start a

degree course will not complete it.

https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/performance-indicators/non-continuation-summary

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Tuition fee and HEFCE funding in England 1996-2018

Tuition Fee HEFCE UoR

Current students, on average, will owe more than

£50,000

in fee and maintenance loans upon graduation.

(Principal only)

https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/9334

What can we do?

• Fees

• Room and Board

• Books and Supplies

• Personal Expenses

• Transportation

What can we do?

• Fees

• Room and Board

• Books and Supplies

• Personal Expenses

• Transportation

A 2010 NUS survey indicates that the average student will

spend around

£1000

on books during their studies.

https://www.nus.org.uk/en/advice/money-and-funding/average-costs-of-living-and-study/

What do you think about the cost of textbooks?

What do you think about the cost of textbooks?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d6HTN6llgo

“Due to caring responsibilities at home, most of my study is done at home in the evening, when my children are in bed. Therefore I cannot use the university library to study.”

“Material changes every year so it’s difficult to find useful second hand copies.”

“There are more recommended reading books than I can afford to buy or have time to read.”

“They are extremely useful, but expensive considering the fact that we pay £9000 tuition fees.”

“When 6 subjects have 5-10 books on the ‘suggested reading’ list, it becomes impossible to obtain all of them.”

“Text books are ridiculously priced. They are aimed at students but are completely out of their price range. £100 for one book!”

Quotes from UWE Students

Rolfe, V. Could open textbooks improve the experience of all students?

Coping with the Cost

• Purchase an older edition of the textbook

• Delay purchasing the textbook

• Never purchase the textbook

• Share the textbook with other students, either directly or via the library.

• Download textbooks from the internet

–U of MN Student

"I figured French hadn't changed that much.”

Have you ever delayed purchasing a textbook because of cost?

Have you ever delayed purchasing a textbook because of cost?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjaTJC8zZJ4

7/10

students surveyed hadn’t bought a required textbook due to cost.

http://www.slideshare.net/txtbks/open-education-and-solving-the-textbook-cost-crisis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4IswNs0WWE

The Academic Impact

• 80% thought purchasing textbooks was an important part of their studies

• 88% of students claimed to have skipped purchasing a textbook because of the price.

• 9% claimed to have changed their course because of the cost of books associated with it.

Rolfe, V. Could open textbooks improve the experience of all students?

2012 2016

63.6% 66.5% Not purchase the required textbook

49.2% 47.6% Take fewer courses

45.1% 45.5% Not register for a specific course

33.9% 37.6% Earn a poor grade

26.7% 26.1% Drop a course

17.0% 19.8% Fail a course

In your academic career, has the cost of required textbooks caused you to:

http://www.openaccesstextbooks.org/pdf/2012_Florida_Student_Textbook_Survey.pdf

Other models…

Where does the funding come from?

Universities (SUNY, Umass Amherst, Portland State, …)

Foundations (Hewlett, Gates, …)

Governments (state, federal)

Institutional Consortia (CALI)

All RightsReserved

Some RightsReserved

Plus…

With Creative Commons licenses, you are free to…

Copy Mix

Share Keep

Edit Use

open.umn.edu

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Ratings

Open Textbook Reviews

12 Peer Reviewed Studies of Perceptions of OER Quality

http://openedgroup.org/

5,201 Professors and Students

http://openedgroup.org/

50%Same35%

Better

15%Worse

http://openedgroup.org/

13 Peer Reviewed Studies of Efficacy

http://openedgroup.org/

119,720 Students

http://openedgroup.org/

95% Same or Better Outcomes

http://openedgroup.org/

Introductory, algebra-based, two-semester college physics

1272 pages

Available inPDF

ePubPrintWeb

Bookshare (accessible)

Instructor solution manual

Powerpoint slides

Examples of Customizing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1zAcm0lXn0

PM4ID

What can we do?

What can we do?

• Take a look! (open.umn.edu)

• Write a review!

• Adopt if a book meets the needs of you and your students

• Raise awareness - talk with colleagues in your program and department

Writing a Review

Is there is a textbook in the Open Textbook Library that fits your class and/or expertise?

Stipend will be paid for:

1. attending this workshop, and

2. reviewing a textbook in the Open Textbook Library

Writing a Review

1. You will receive an email with a link to the online review form.

2. Complete a concise review by August 20.

3. The review will be posted on the Open Textbook Library under an open license.

4. A £25 voucher will be paid.

David Ernstdernst@umn.edu

@dernst

Slides: http://slideshare.net/djernst

Open Textbook Library: open.umn.edu

By David Ernst. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.