Overview

In higher education, there is a lot of money tied up in teaching materials that are copyrighted. Access to textbooks particularly can be a major problem for college students. Students are experiencing several financial hardships when it comes to their college education: the rise in college attendance costs, the rise in the need for financial aid, and the rise in prices for textbooks and other learning materials (such as apps, software, and supporting materials) for college courses. These hardships are leading students to make financial decisions that detrimentally affect their learning: forgoing the purchase of traditional textbooks and materials. Likewise, instructors and administration alike acknowledge the gatekeeping aspect of college costs: those who can afford resources will have access, and those who cannot afford them will have restricted access and lose the ability to attend higher education institutions. This disparity motivated the development of OER so that all students, regardless of financial ability, can afford the texts for their courses.

For more information, please check out Costs of Materials in Higher Education (optional).