An online solution to lower post-secondary students鈥� costs is spreading at Okanagan College.
Professors are helping to turn a new page in the rising costs of post-secondary education by giving students free access to online textbooks. Open Educational Resources 鈥� also known as OER 鈥� are high-quality resources, often in the form of open textbooks, are available in digital formats and at a very low cost to print.
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The latest provincial statistics show Okanagan College ranks sixth in the province for open textbook adoption. By fall 2018, the College reported 147 courses that have adopted open textbooks, helping 2,875 students to save $437,212. These numbers are from 95 courses using online texts, impacting 1,673 students with savings of $248,522. Many professors have committed to continue using and expanding their use of online texts at each of the College鈥檚 campuses in 琉璃神社, Penticton, Vernon and Salmon Arm.
鈥淚t is fabulous to see initiatives like this become a reality,鈥� said Andrew Hay, Okanagan College鈥檚 Vice President, Education. 鈥淪tudent success is of the utmost importance to Okanagan College and the combination of better student learning with reduced costs is most welcome.鈥�
Okanagan School of Business Professor Michael Orwick is one of many professors at the College who has introduced online textbooks to his classes and he can already speak to the educational benefits.
鈥淕enerally, the first mid-term grades in the Intro to Marketing classes I teach average 57 to 61 per cent,鈥� said Orwick. 鈥淭his year, my first mid-term just averaged 73 per cent and I heard from students who said they felt the annotated textbook was a major reason for improved scores.鈥�
Orwick has supplemented the text he is using 鈥� Principles of Marketing 鈥� with his own notes that provide students with additional insights into the subject matter.
鈥淭he textbook change for this class alone means a savings of $6,000 and every student is guaranteed to be able to get the textbook,鈥� Orwick said. 鈥淭here are four sections of this class running this term, so that adds up to $24,000 in savings just for this course. Next semester there may be 12 sections running which amounts to $72,000.鈥�
The savings fit with the Province鈥檚 and the College鈥檚 agenda, as well as the Okanagan College Students鈥� Union, which presented to the Select Standing Committee on Finances and Government on Sept. 27 about the very issue.
鈥淭he high cost of textbooks has become a serious obstacle to accessing post-secondary education in B.C.,鈥� said Jennifer Meyer, 2017-18 OCSU Board Member. 鈥淭extbook prices rose by 82 per cent between 2002 -2012 and now, typically cost more than $200 per book. For the many students and families already struggling to afford education and the cost of living, this unpredictable expense can be a huge burden, causing students to take on additional debt or work longer hours for their required books.鈥�
OC student Andre Dominguez is enrolled in Orwick鈥檚 Marketing class and has experienced the financial help that comes with the advent of online textbooks.
鈥淭he e-textbook has been a real asset because I can access it anywhere I go, both on mobile or on my laptop, and the fact that it was free is extremely helpful,鈥� said Dominguez. 鈥淓xpenses accumulate for college and it takes a toll on your bank account which brings unwanted stress that affects your personal and academic life.鈥�
E-texts bring serious savings while also offering a custom approach to teaching and learning. P
rofessors can annotate the online texts, leaving detailed notes, highlights, comments and provide specialized information. Students can choose to access the text online or can choose to have it printed from the College鈥檚 bookstore for just $20.
鈥淚t鈥檚 such an incredible bonus that my textbook is annotated by my professor,鈥� said Dominguez.
鈥淭here is more retention when reading and I know I wouldn鈥檛 be doing as well as I am and learning as much if it wasn鈥檛 annotated. If every teacher had annotated textbooks, it would help students out very much.鈥�
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