OER Initiatives at Drake

Q: It's nice to save students money, but my students truly need print books. Doesn't that mean I need to stick with traditional textbook publishers?

A: There is often a print option for OER. Sometimes the OER platform will offer a printed and bound textbook that can be ordered directly from the website or purchased through the bookstore. The price of these printed OER are substantially lower than a traditional textbook.

If a printed copy isn't available, or if you are using your own compilation of OER (and/or some copyrighted materials that you've determined fall under fair use), the bookstore will work with you to create a course pack your students can purchase. This cost of this option is also substantially lower than a traditional textbook.

Q: I depend on the test banks that publishers provide with a textbook adoption. Do OER or Open Textbooks provide test banks? And if they're open, what's to prevent a student for getting access to them?

A: Many open resources do provide test banks (and slide decks, and other supplementals we're used to getting from a publisher). As for student access, OER platforms typically have protections in place. OpenStax, for example, does not directly provide test bank access to students. Instead, it employs a system where faculty must register, verify their identity, and request access.

Q: I am nervous about letting go of my textbook because I don't know if OER/Open Textbook authors will keep the resources up to date. How can I trust that the resources I select will be kept current and accurate?

A: It's true that adopting open resources in place of a traditionally published textbook involves a change in how you think about your course textbook. Adopting OER involves a feeling of ownership of the course resources that you might not experience with a traditional textbook. Because of open licensing you are free to update the material as you see fit, as long as the Creative Commons licensing allows for it. Due to the open nature of these resources, collaboration with other instructors or with your students to improve the open resources you use is a common occurrence, and means the work of updating is spread across many people instead of sitting solely with you. Yes, it's a shift of perspective, but it's an exciting one, full of potential.

Q: Why would an author give away their work for free if it is high quality? How is this model sustainable?

A: One misconception about OER is that authors are “giving away” their work, and giving away their ownership of what they’re created. This is a myth for the following reasons:

1. OER authors still retain ownership of their creations. Creative Commons (a form of open licensing) actually gives authors very precise control over how their work may be used and how it should be attributed. In fact OER authors often enjoy more freedom to use, share and adapt their own works than they would under a restrictive license with a publisher.

2. Many OER authors do get paid for their work, but not in the form of royalties. Some are paid by their college through a stipend, some are awarded grants through non-profit organizations or government agencies.

Source: Adapted from "OER Basics" by Kate Hess, Kirkwood Community College.