Survey Finds Faculty Rate the Quality of Open Educational Resources (OER) as Equal to Commercial Textbooks

OAKLAND, Calif., March 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A majority of U.S. higher education teaching faculty now report that they are aware of open educational resources (OER) — an increase of 19 percentage points over the past four years. Increasing numbers of faculty are adopting OER and they rate the quality as equal to commercial alternatives.

The study, Inflection Point: Educational Resources in U.S. Higher Education, 2019, was conducted by Bay View Analytics (formerly the Babson Survey Research Group), and supported by a grant from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. It is based on responses from over 5,700 faculty and department chairpersons. The report shows improvements in OER awareness and use amid growing concern regarding the cost of course materials.

Key findings from the report include:

• Awareness of OER and open licensing continues to grow every year. A majority of faculty now claim some level of awareness of OER, and there has been a marked growth in the adoption of both required and supplemental OER materials.
  
  
• Faculty who have adopted Open Educational Resources (OER) rate their quality as equal to that of commercial alternatives.
  
  
• Faculty, chairpersons, administrators, and even entire college systems are increasingly concerned about the cost of materials for their students.
  
  
• Faculty who are aware of institutional or system-level OER initiatives are three to four times as likely to adopt OER as those who are not aware.
  
  
• OER's message about its flexibility, described by the shorthand "5Rs" (Retain, Revise, Remix, Reuse, and Redistribute), resonates with faculty. However, they are also using commercial materials in ways that mirror the 5Rs of OER.
  
  
• Many faculty still remain unfamiliar with open licensing or how to use these materials.

"The course materials market has undergone more changes in the last five years than in the previous fifty, with a movement from print to digital and multiple new distribution alternatives," said Dr. Julia Seaman, Research Director for the Bay View Analytics. "Within this changing environment, faculty concern about cost to the student continues to grow. More faculty are adopting OER, which they find to be equal in quality to commercial alternatives."

"With awareness among a majority of faculty and adoption on the rise, the OER movement is stronger than ever—and that's great news for students," said Nicole Allen, Director of Open Education for SPARC. "However, the market is starting to change, and OER needs to keep pushing the bar higher on behalf of students and faculty. The case for OER is not just about affordability, it is also about defending academic freedom, supporting diverse and relevant content, and ensuring sustainable access to high-quality materials."

The complete report, Inflection Point: Educational Resources in U.S. Higher Education, 2019 is released under a Creative Commons license and is available for download at https://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/oer.html.

About Bay View Analytics 
Formerly known as the Babson Survey Research Group, Bay View Analytics (https://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/) conducts regional, national, and international research projects, including survey design, sampling methodology, data integrity, statistical analyses and reporting.

SOURCE Bay View Analytics

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