Savings without sacrifice: a case report on open-source textbook adoption |
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| Authors: | Virginia Clinton |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Educational Foundations and Research, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USAvirginia.clinton@und.edu |
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| Abstract: | Rising textbook costs have prompted the development of open-source textbooks to increase access to education. The purpose of this case report is to examine open-source textbook adoption through the COUP framework (costs, outcomes, use, and perceptions) comparing a semester with a commercial textbook to a semester with an open-source textbook. Students (N = 520) were enrolled in an undergraduate course at a mid-sized public university in the United States. Results indicated that although costs were substantially lower, student learning outcomes and perceptions of quality were similar or better with an open-source textbook. Although students were much more likely to access the open-source textbook electronically, there were no differences in how they reported using the two textbooks to support their learning. Considering the financial savings of open-source textbooks, these findings build on existing empirical support that encourage the adoption of open-source textbooks. |
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| Keywords: | Open-source educational resources textbooks electronic reading open source |
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