Park Faculty Testimonials
"I wanted to provide students with a specific set of readings and not just a generic textbook."
"There were no textbooks that adequately covered the material I wanted my students to learn and I also aimed for them to have diverse perspectives from various authors, various forms of media, in addition to foundational material as well as cutting edge work. It was easiest to achieve that with OER."
A Few Reasons Why Park Professors Use OERs
1. Cost
2. Ease of access
3. More current information that traditional textbooks
4. Greater variety of content than traditional textbooks
5. Ability to customize
OER Outcomes
Finances and Affordability
- From 2008-2018, the average net price (including tuition and fees, room and board, and books and supplies) of public four-year institutions has risen by 24%.
- This increase disproportionately affects students and families of color. For Black and Hispanic households, this net price accounts for at least 25% of the median household income in 36 states.
- Students spend over $3 billion in financial aid on textbooks each year.
- High textbook costs cause adverse student behavior, including:
- 64% of students reported not purchasing the required textbook due to cost
- 43% reported taking fewer courses
- 41% reported choosing not to register for a specific course
- 41% reported dropping a course
- 36% reported earning a poor grade in a course
- The high cost of course materials disproportionately affects food-insecure students. 82% of students who reported missing a meal also reported not buying a textbook.
- At Park, 88% of full-time, first-time students receive some kind of financial aid, but only 41% of their average financial aid is met, and the average student debt at graduation is $18,103.
Academic Outcomes
Studies from 2005-2020 indicate:
- No statistically significant difference in test scores between sections of a class that use OERs vs. commercial textbooks
- Classrooms using OERs saw a greater improvement in national test scores
- Classes with OERs saw lower failure and withdrawal rates than classes with traditional textbooks
- OERs "equalize" students' engagement and performance, meaning they lead to a lower standard deviation in page views, on-time assignment submissions, attendance, and final grades as compared to classes with traditional textbooks
Faculty Perception of OERs
- At Park, 43% of faculty who have used OERs found it "very easy to find and implement," and 50% found it moderately easy.
- Nationwide, 78% of students said they would recommend OER to their classmates, and 83% agreed that "the materials adequately supported the work I did outside of class."
- Professors who have used OERs have cited the following benefits:
- Materials can be posted on a learning management system like Canvas and projected in class, increasing student engagement and helping them understand the concepts at the time they are introduced
- Students can access OERs from their phones without carrying around heavy textbooks, and can access the text an unlimited number of times
- In every published survey, a significant majority of instructors have believed that their students were equally or better prepared when using OERs rather than traditional textbooks, and stated they would be very likely to use OERs again in the future
Phone: (816) 584-6285