A Comparison of Academic Outcomes in Courses Taught With Open Educational Resources and Publisher Content

2021 ◽  
pp. 0013189X2110525
Author(s):  
Linda Bol ◽  
Monica Christina Esqueda ◽  
Diane Ryan ◽  
Sue C. Kimmel
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Course Completion ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Completion Rates ◽  
Introductory Courses ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Persistence Rates ◽  
Exam Scores

What difference do open educational resources (OER) make compared with publisher content (non-OER) when costs and instructors remain constant? A total of 215 community college students enrolled in online, introductory courses were randomly assigned to OER or non-OER sections and compared on retention at the tuition drop date, completion with a C or better, course completion, and mean final exam scores. Students in the OER sections were retained and persisted at a statistically significant higher rate, lending credibility to the findings of former studies regarding retention and persistence rates in courses taught with OER materials. No statistically significant differences were found on completion rates or final exam scores. OER course materials should be considered in broader initiatives for student success in community colleges.

scholarly journals Grants and Acquisitions

2019 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 416
Author(s):  
Ann-Christe Galloway
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Average Cost ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Research Groups ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Education Fund ◽  
Education Initiative

Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. for PALSave, an affordable education initiative that will combat rising textbook costs and their detrimental effects on student success and retention. The average cost of textbooks annually is about $1,300.  Research from The Student Public Interest Research Groups and U.S. PIRG Education Fund shows that some students have to borrow more to pay for college, are likely not to buy required materials at some point, and might even drop a class because of text prices. PALNI offers the PALSave program in response to this need and to help provide a proactive solution to textbook affordability. The grant will enable PALNI to support course transformations using course materials which are free to students, focusing on Open Educational Resources worldwide.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of Open Educational Resources in College Calculus. A Quantitative Study

Open Praxis ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 185
Author(s):  
Scott Kersey
Keyword(s):  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Online Homework ◽  
Multilinear Regression ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Exam Scores ◽  
Significant Measure ◽  
Face To Face Instruction ◽  
College Calculus

We investigate Open Educational Resources (OER) in post-secondary Calculus with face-to-face instruction using web-based homework in a side-by-side comparison with Closed (Proprietary) Educational Resources (CER). Statistical analyses using multilinear regression models are developed to demonstrate several significant effects, to within a probability of 5%. Our first finding is that students’ pretest scores and access dates to online homework were both significant factors in predicting first exam scores. While pretest scores were similar between the groups, students in the OER group accessed the online homework earlier in the semester, which contributed to higher first exam scores. Second, homework scores were significantly higher in the CER group, which was a significant measure of final exam scores. In understanding this result, we cite student comments suggesting the proprietary CER homework system had more resources providing help on problems. However, the differences in final course grades were not significant. We conclude from our study that the OER materials are effective, but recommend that care is taken to ensure the free materials provide a quality experience.

scholarly journals On the Efficacy of Open Educational Resources

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huimei Delgado ◽  
Michael Delgado ◽  
John Hilton III
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Exam Performance ◽  
Pell Grant ◽  
Large Sample Size ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Open educational resources (OER), which are free and openly licensed educational materials, have been a widely discussed topic in response to high textbook costs, the need for more pedagogical flexibility, and inequality in access to educational materials. In this study we examine the efficacy of OER through a quantitative analysis of the impact of OER on student final exam performance in a large calculus course. Our dataset affords us a relatively large sample size, allows us to classify students in both treatment and control groups, and includes a variety of covariates that allow us to control for multiple correlated factors. We estimate causal treatment effects using several econometric approaches. Our study adds the following insights into the research on OER efficacy: (i) OER materials do not, in general, lead to any significant change in student final exam performance; and (ii) OER materials have a significantly positive impact on both international students and Pell Grant eligible students.

scholarly journals OER State Policy Playbook, 2020 Edition

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Starr Allen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
State Policy ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Course Materials

Open educational resources (OER) are textbooks and other course materials that are free for people everywhere to use and repurpose. States and institutions are leveraging OER to expand flexibility for faculty and reduce costs for students by millions each year. This playbook provides a set of ideas that state policymakers can consider to harness the power of OER to tackle textbook costs and make higher education more affordable and effective for all students.

Open Source Differential and Integral Calculus Material Development to Support Student Accessibility and Learning

2019 ◽  
pp. 368-373
Author(s):  
Petra Menz ◽  
Nicola Mulberry
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Source Material ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Integral Calculus ◽  
Material Development ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
The Social ◽  
Free Material

Educational resources in mathematics are an important aspect of the teaching and learning landscape. Moreover, resources have come a long way from the spoken word with such inventions as paper and the computer to the point where there is now an infrastructure around open educational resources (OER) that has matured into viable alternatives to traditional resources. The newfound prevalence of these materials provides opportunities to customize OER to the specific needs of students and institutions. We designed open source material for the social science strand of differential and integral calculus by adopting an open source textbook and adapting it for our needs. Along with the course notes, we developed lecture notes, student notes based on the Cornell note-taking system, and assignments with solutions. Students are appreciative of free material, but moreover, the cohesiveness and interconnectivity among the various course materials provides for a smoother learning journey through our courses. This paper presents our philosophy, an overview of our open source material, and the operation of both courses.

Leveling the Educational Playing Field

2021 ◽  
pp. 165-190
Author(s):  
Carolyn N. Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Learning Assessment ◽  
College Degree ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Academic Assistance ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Course Material

Many adult learners are looking for an opportunity to finish what they have started and complete a college degree or advance into graduate studies. While the high cost of a college degree is a barrier, there are ways to level the educational playing field through OERs and alternative credit sources. For example, open educational resources (OERs) offer an opportunity to help promote educational equity through free resources. Often, many learners struggle with the high cost of textbooks and other course material needed to be successful in a course. Due to financial constraints, learners are not able to purchase required course materials putting them an academic disadvantage. OERs provide an opportunity to promote student success through free resources. Additionally, OERs are an excellent way to provide supplemental materials for learners needing additional academic assistance. This section provides additional information on open educational Resources (OERS), open degree plans, competency-based education, and prior learning assessment.

scholarly journals Cost, Outcomes, Use, and Perceptions of Open Educational Resources in Psychology: A Narrative Review of the Literature

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Clinton
Keyword(s):  
Cost Savings ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Cost Outcomes

Open educational resources (OER) have been developed to free students from the expense and instructors from the restrictions of commercial materials. There has been a wealth of empirical examination on numerous aspects of OER. The purpose of this narrative review is to synthesize and integrate the findings on OER in psychology to assist instructors in making informed decisions about course materials. Topics in this review were organized according to the Cost, Outcomes, Usage, and Perceptions framework. Results indicated that OER adoption yielded cost savings while generally having similar or better outcomes in terms of grades. Students typically reported similar use and perceptions of OER compared to commercial course materials. Resources for instructors interested in OER are described. Criticisms of OER, such as concerns about quality, are addressed as well as limitations of reviewed research and future directions for research and development of OER.

scholarly journals Incentivizing the Production and Use of Open Educational Resources in Higher Education Institutions

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Annand ◽  
Tilly Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Student Learning Outcomes ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Persistence Rates

<p class="3">Substituting open educational resources (OER) for commercially-produced textbooks results in demonstrable cost savings for students in most higher education institutions. Yet OER are still not widely used, and progress toward large-scale adoption in most colleges and universities has been slow. This article reviews the literature informing financial and other issues that affect OER adoption. It describes the outcome of an ongoing, financially self-sustaining project at Athabasca University that has produced significant cost savings for the institution, maintained equivalent student learning outcomes and persistence rates, and enhanced aspects of the student learning experience. Based on the success of the project to date, broadly-applicable recommendations are suggested to reduce organizational impediments to the adoption of OER in higher education institutions.</p>

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