4 OER Benefit Students and Faculty
Learning Objectives
- List the ways that OER benefit students and faculty
OER Reduce Costs & Remove Barriers
When compared to traditional commercial textbooks, OER better support UTSA students because they are: free, available on Class Day One, and continuously accessible, even after graduation.
True Academic Freedom
Textbook publishers sometimes lock faculty into using their materials with restrictive contracts that prohibits the use of other materials in a said course. OER, however, provide the greatest academic freedom for faculty: giving instructors the flexibility to tailor their readings and draw from a broader range of materials.
The following videos cover why faculty should consider using OERs in their courses, as well as research on the effectiveness of OERs in higher education and a testimonial from a UTSA faculty who used OERs.
Key Takeaways
OER Positively Impact Learning & Equity
The OER research says so! The research by Hilton and Colvard, et al demonstrate that the integration of OER can greatly impact academic success and equity in access for diverse students.
Key Takeaways
UTSA Faculty: Leveraging the Power of OER
Hear from Cindy Roberts, Assistant Professor of Practice in the UTSA Department of Mathematics, on her experience incorporating OER into MAT 1193: Calculus for the Biosciences
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
How UTSA’s OER gives students the power to succeed
OER offers UTSA students freedom from financial concerns
A Review of the Effectiveness and Perceptions of Open Educational Resources as Compared to Textbooks
UTSA Professor of Practice Rita Mitra, OER Testimony
UTSA Graduate Teaching Assistant Phillip Saldivar, OER Testimony
Activity:
Based on the content in this module, how would you sway faculty peers that are dead set on adopting a pricey commercial textbook to consider OER instead? Feel free to use testimonials from previous modules as your talking points.
Additional Resources
Colvard, N. B., Watson, C. E., & Park, H. (2018). The Impact of Open Educational Resources on Various Student Success Metrics [PDF]. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 30(2), 15.
Hilton, J. (2016). Open educational resources and college textbook choices: A review of research on efficacy and perceptions. Educational Technology Research and Development, 64(4), 573–590.
