Open Educational Resources (OER)

Because they are available to be shared freely in a digital space, Open Educational Resources are an affordable alternative to traditional educational materials, like textbooks. For students especially, using open educational resources in the classroom in place of often costly textbooks alleviates some of the financial burden associated with education. For example, a recent textbook survey of over 4000 students at the University of Guelph found that 57% of students had at some point opted not to buy a required textbook, and yet 88% said that not they believed not having a textbook would impact their academic success. And anecdotally, we all know students who have to wait a few weeks at the beginning of the term to purchase a textbook, because they are waiting for financial aid to come in. Open Educational Resources are a response to these challenges. They’re available for free or for low-cost, they’re accessible anywhere with internet access, and they’re available immediately at the start of term.