Using Open Educational Resources at Viterbo University: Faculty and Student Feedback

Alissa L Oelfke,Katrina Volkert,Christopher Iremonger,Jennifer A Sadowski,Annie Baumann,Cari Mathwig Ramseier,Lynne Kuhl,Emily Dykman

doi:10.19173/irrodl.v22i1.4970

Abstract

This study evaluated a coordinated and collaborative pilot implementation of open educational resources (OER) across multiple disciplines including nursing, accounting, environmental science, religious studies, and finance. Participating faculty were qualitatively surveyed regarding their experience creating and implementing OER in a course. Students were surveyed on their perceptions of OER quality, cost savings, and ease of use. Faculty had an overall positive experience with OER, believing there was a significant benefit to students in cost savings while maintaining learning quality. Faculty felt the OER implementation process took a significant investment of time and recommended that faculty should be compensated for creating and implementing OER materials in future courses. Students overall showed positive responses to using OER in their course; the majority of students agreed with the OER cost savings, quality of OER resources, ease of using OER, and they trusted the use of OER materials. Older students (over 30 years) were more likely to state they would print out OER materials rather than read them online (as compared with students 30 and under). Senior-level students agreed significantly more than did freshman-level students that OER presented a cost savings. Faculty recommendations from this study included focusing on courses with very high textbook costs and courses that would impact the greatest number of students. Additionally, faculty recommended a follow-up revision process to keep OER materials current after implementation.

Highlights

According to Kristof (2018), the average cost of college textbooks has risen in the last 10 years at a pace four times faster than the rate of inflation, and the national average cost of textbooks per student is over $1,200 per academic year
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (2021) provides the following similar definition of open educational resources (OER): At Hewlett, we use the term “open education” to encompass the myriad of learning resources, teaching practices and education policies that use the flexibility of OER to provide learners with high quality educational experiences
Creative Commons defines OER as teaching, learning, and research materials that are either (a) in the public domain or (b) licensed in a manner that provides everyone with free and perpetual permission to engage in the 5R activities– retaining, remixing, revising, reusing and redistributing the resources

Summary

Introduction

According to Kristof (2018), the average cost of college textbooks has risen in the last 10 years at a pace four times faster than the rate of inflation, and the national average cost of textbooks per student is over $1,200 per academic year. The use of open educational resources (OER) is one potential solution to the high and rising cost of college textbooks. Open educational resources are educational materials (typically electronic) available for little or no cost including textbooks, course readings, and other learning content such as simulations, games, syllabi, quizzes, and assessment tools. These materials are generally released under a Creative Commons or similar license that supports open or nearly open use of the content (Atkins et al, 2007). Creative Commons defines OER as teaching, learning, and research materials that are either (a) in the public domain or (b) licensed in a manner that provides everyone with free and perpetual permission to engage in the 5R activities– retaining, remixing, revising, reusing and redistributing the resources. (para. 4)

Methods

Results

Conclusion