Empowering students and staff through the use of open textbooks [1756] Home : Annual Conference 2017

Public Group active 8 months, 1 week ago

Thu, Sep 7 2017, 10:45am – 12:00pm
Authors: Vivien Rolfe, David Kernohan, Beck Pitt, Beatriz De Los Arcos, Robert Farrow, and Martin Weller
Room: Mountford Hall (G)
Theme: Empowerment in Learning Technology
Type: 20-minute session

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Description

Open Textbooks have seen impressive growth and impact in the North American context, through providers and initiatives such as OpenStax, the Open Textbook Network, BCcampus, and Lumen Learning. With the exception of Siyavula in South Africa however, the open textbook model has largely been restricted to North America. However the benefits to learners in terms of reduced study costs and improved academic performance are becoming well established (Open Education Group 2017). Wider benefits such as the emergence of scholarly communities of open textbook authors and reviewers, and new open pedagogies and the empowerment of students as co-creators are also apparent, as drawn together in this video presentation (Rolfe 2017).

One of the most compelling arguments for the use of openly licensed textbooks elsewhere has been the reduction in student debt. How does this need translate to the UK higher education context? In UK it is established that students’ financial situations are impacting on their attainment and progression through university (HEFCE 2015), and the National Union of Students reported on the impact of student debt, and that more than half of those graduating in 2015 had moved back home with their parents or guardians in order to save money (NUS 2016). In a prior survey in 2010, the average cost of books and equipment for students was in excess of £1000 (Malcolm 2010).

The aim of this workshop is to raise awareness of open textbooks for use in further and higher education, and to see whether these models of adoption and adaptation can be of similar benefit in the UK. This workshop will provide an introduction to open textbooks and engage the audience in thinking about three research questions: