The importance of textbooks and other materials to the educational process cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, the prices on these vital learning materials have continued to grow steadily year over year (Hanson, 2021). Open educational resources (OER), which are "teaching, learning, and research materials that are either (a) in the public…

This study addresses the critical issue of low-income student success at Tri-County Community College (TCCC), with a specific focus on reducing the financial barriers posed by commercial textbooks. Recognizing the disproportionate impact of these costs on low-income students, the study implements an improvement initiative leveraging Open…

A college education is becoming increasingly expensive, and the burden of this cost is often felt disproportionately by marginalized students. One aspect of rising college costs are textbook prices, which have increased at a rate that far surpasses inflation. Open educational resources (OER; free, openly-licensed course materials) or Affordable…

This study examined Open Educational Resources (OER) through a community college faculty perspective. Specifically, this study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of faculty motivations surrounding OER, faculty perceptions of OER's influences on students, and pedagogical changes that faculty have made in response to OER. A qualitative research…

Nine higher education institutional administrators who embraced and supported OER (Open Educational Resources) implementation on their campuses were interviewed. As a generic, qualitative, inductive study, the goal of the research was to uncover what motivated them to lend their time and energy to such an initiative; how they perceived the value…

Teacher attrition rates, although increasing across the board, are higher in Career and Technical Education (CTE) than in the regular education setting, especially those teachers who are alternatively certified. The purpose of this Delphi study was to evaluate and revise an online resource of the most beneficial aspects of new teacher mentoring…

Teachers choose to supplement their curriculum for various reasons (Drake, 2010) and use online resources to search for and choose these supplements for their curriculum (Silver, 2022). TeachersPayTeachers.com (TPT) is a popular choice for online curriculum resources. TPT is a virtual resource pool that allows teachers to create and share…

Research has recognized the importance of libraries and librarians in supporting, managing, and sustaining open educational resources (OER) programs in postsecondary institutions. Open education initiatives generally align with social justice aspirations and should be open and inclusive to everyone. Yet, in practice, this has not always been the…

Higher education institutions in the United States are experiencing a paradigm shift in two areas. First, in response to the high prices of textbooks, there is a shift from traditional textbooks to Open Educational Resources (OERs). Second, the growing presence of International Undergraduate Students (IUSs) on college campuses is shifting the…

This study investigated whether the type of course materials used by instructors in postsecondary education had an impact on their teaching approach. The study focused on two approaches to teaching, teacher-focused and student-focused, and examined the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) versus commercial materials as the independent variable.…

The problem explored in this study is the limited use of Open Educational Resources (OER) by health career community college faculty. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate local community college faculty members' perceptions about the use of OER in their program classrooms, the barriers to its use, and what resources they need…

Open educational resources (OER) are digital and non-digital resources for teaching, learning, and research that are available for no cost and licensed with various open licenses, permitting their widespread modification and use. While these resources afford benefits to post-secondary students in terms of reduced cost, ease of access, and…

This study aimed to investigate the impact of implementing Open Educational Resources (OER) course materials on student engagement and achievement in a 10th grade English Language Arts (ELA) classroom at a high-poverty, rural school district. Research suggests that the implementation of OER materials in a K-12 setting can positively impact student…

This study aimed to enhance students' experimental skills and laboratory techniques in cell and molecular biology. A trifold intervention involving a Gene Screen Worksheet, a Gene Screen Flowchart, and a laboratory manual were used, along with a mixed methods approach to data collection. The trifold intervention was grounded in constructivism,…

This study shows the connection of open educational resources (OERs) as a tool for student retention and a mechanism for faculty professional development. The implementation of OERs in lieu of traditional textbooks helps alleviate student costs (Lantrip & Ray, 2021). Cost has been indicated as a reason faculty choose course material (Seaman…