Course info

The cost of college has undeniably risen in the last few years, and cuts to higher education budgets have often forced institutions of higher learning to pass costs on to students. Many students incur significant student loan debt in order to attend college. These costs are often compounded by expensive course texts and materials. These additional costs represent barriers to student learning which in turn negatively impact student persistence and retention. One solution to the course text cost conundrum is represented in alternatives to traditional texts. These alternatives include open and affordable education resources (OER/AER). This course will introduce participants to OER/AER. Additionally, participants will learn about sources for each type of educational resource and will focus substantively on the role that libraries play in the OER/AER ecosystem on college campuses. This course will address the following features of OER/AER: the differences between the two types; pros and cons of each type of resource; sources for each type of resource; examples of each; opportunities for growth with each type of resource (including state and national grant opportunities); and how to partner with librarians and libraries to gain access to such resources, particularly LOUIS initiatives. Using OER/AER represents an opportunity to help increase accessibility and affordability for college students which in turn can help increase persistence and retention. Collaborating with librarians and libraries represents a prime opportunity to help students and enhance higher learning.