Open textbook adoption on the Prairies: Initiative and support at one university
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1) The document discusses open textbook initiatives and support at the University of Saskatchewan, including the growing adoption of open textbooks across various departments and courses, resulting in cost savings for over 900 students in the 2015-2016 academic year. 2) It provides an overview of open textbooks, their benefits like being free and customizable, and discusses their adoption through the lens of Rogers' diffusion of innovations theory. 3) Moving forward, the document recommends continued education and communication about open textbooks, supporting more adaptations and adoptions, and securing ongoing funding.
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Open textbook adoption on the Prairies: Initiative and support at one university
- 1. Open textbook adoption on the Prairies: Initiatives and support at one university Heather M. Ross & Nancy K. Turner University of Saskatchewan
- 2. Overview • Open textbooks • Open textbooks at USask • Diffusion of innovations • Open textbook adoption through lens of diffusion • Moving forward
- 3. The Academic Impact • Purchase an older edition of the textbook • Delay purchasing the textbook • Never purchase the textbook
- 4. 63.6% Not purchase the required textbook 49.2% Take fewer courses 45.1% Not register for a specific course 33.9% Earn a poor grade 26.7% Drop a course 17.0% Fail a course In your academic career, has the cost of required textbooks caused you to: http://www.openaccesstextbooks.org/pdf/2012_Florida_Student_Textbook_Survey.pdf
- 5. What are open textbooks? • Digital • Free • Instructor written • Peer reviewed • Adaptable*
- 8. Why Should We Integrate • Cost savings for students • Access for learners • Customization (revise & remix) • Efficiency • Community • Reputation
- 9. Open textbooks at USask
- 10. First Adoption We Knew About • Winter 2015 • Principles of Economics (OpenStax) • Agriculture and Bioresource • 270 students • Out of the box
- 11. Known Adoptions at USask • College of Agriculture and Bioresource • Edwards School of Business • Department of Chemistry • Department of History • Department of Sociology • 2015 - 2016 academic year – 900+ students = $90,000+ savings
- 12. Adaptation / Creation • College of Engineering – engineering economics • Department of Biology – second year biology • Edwards School of Business – College Success
- 15. Variables Determining Rate of Adoption
- 18. Open Textbooks & Diffusion • Perceived attributes – what are the benefits? o Matching appropriate content to courses o Free and ability to localize o Try alongside existing resources • Type of innovation- decision = optional • Communication – posters, media, word-of- mouth
- 19. Open Textbooks & Diffusion • Nature of social system: o Academic freedom o Barriers related to tenure & promotion o Funding • Change agent promotion: o Workshops o Individual support o Support resource development
- 20. Moving Forward • Continued education & communication • Adaptions / creations • Adoptions • Funding
Editor's Notes
- It’s not just cost, relevance is another issue.
- The ability to adapt makes it about more than just cost. A resource can be free, but not “open” because it can’t be customized to meet local needs.
- Openstax College out of Rice University launched in 2012 with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
- Later that year, BCcampus launched their open textbook project with funding from the BC government.
- Again, it’s not just about the cost.
- Fall 2014 - Teaching and learning centre puts up a poster from BCcampus and one instructors makes first adoption after seeing it:
- The first two are mostly new books, while ESB is doing an adaptation of an existing book.
- Knowledge - introduced to the concept of innovation Persuasion - see the innovation as a viable option for their adoption Decision - seek out information, professional development, and other resources to begin trying to use the innovation Implementation - adopt and make “use of the innovation on a regular basis” (Rogers, 2003, p. 199). Confirmation - see the benefits resulting from their own adoption of the innovation and promote the innovation to others.
- Relative advantage - is innovation at least as good as what is currently used Compatibility - does innovation fit within existing structure (in the case of open textbooks, does the resource align with the course AND instructor’s teaching philosophy / style) Complexity - is the innovation difficult to use / adopt Trialability - is it easy to try out the innovation without large consequences Observability - can the user / potential user see the benefits of the adoption
- Optional - open textbook adoption / adaptations at USask Collective – a group decision Authority – a directive from someone higher up
- Perceived attributes – what are the benefits? Matching appropriate content to courses (compatibility) Free and ability to localize (relative advantage) Try alongside existing resources (trialibility) Communication - History came to our attention through a tweet during my interview on the CBC.
- ** Use of the open stats book in Sociology came to our attention through a meeting about the intro sociology book with the department head.
- Adoptions – small usage in Geology during spring / summer term. Strong interest from a Nursing instructor who teaching anatomy.