Ten Million in Savings from OER Implementations

2018, Vol. 2

Since Spring 2013, implementation of eCore Open Education Resources (OERs), resulted in an estimated cost saving of 10M dollars. OERs improve access to course materials and reduce barriers for students; no book purchase and just-in-time availability (University System of Georgia eCore Factbook, 2017).

OERs influence learning by increasing opportunity and can dramatically impact lives of millions of people around the world, through high quality, locally relevant educational materials (Bliss, Robinson, Hilton, & Wiley, 2013; Cape Town Open Education Declaration, 2007). Bliss et al. (2013) provided the following quotes from college faculty; "I am able to refer to material knowing that all students will have access to the same material." and "The materials were free to my students, which reduced a barrier to their chances for academic success."

Hilton (2016) reviewed 16 OER studies that involved over 46,000 students and concluded that OERs do not appear to negatively influence student learning. As a result, he questioned the rationale for traditional textbook costs.

Open Education Resources (OERs) are an important feature of eCore courses that help reduce students’ out of pocket cost per course. OER textbooks are carefully selected by a team of content experts from various resources such as OpenStax, Saylor Academy, and University Press of North Georgia textbooks. In some courses, several OERs are used to satisfy course learning objectives. eCore also supplements OERs with course content developed by University System of Georgia faculty subject matter experts. Scholarly articles and external websites serve as valuable OERs as well. OERs are reviewed and revised periodically to ensure quality (University System of Georgia eCore Factbook, 2017).

Karen Lingrell, Associate Director for Collaborative Programs
 klingrel@westga.edu, 678-839-5278  

Dr. Randy Blackmon, Director of Enrollment and Strategic Projects
rblackmo@westga.edu 678-839-4898

References:
Bliss, T. J., Robinson, T., Hilton, J., & Wiley, D. (2013). An OER COUP: College teacher and student perceptions of open educational resources. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2013(1).

Declaration, C. T. O. E. (2007). Cape Town Open Education Declaration: Unlocking the promise of open educational resources. Retrieved from: http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/read-the-declaration

Hilton, J. (2016). Open educational resources and college textbook choices: a review of research on efficacy and perceptions. Educational Technology Research and Development, 64(4), 573-590.

University System of Georgia eCore. (2017). Factbook-2017. Retrieved from: https://ecore.usg.edu/about/factbook/factbook-2017/

Comments

3 Things to Consider Before Taking an Online Class While Overseas

Online Learning allows students the flexibility of continuing their educational journey from anywhere in the world. Online classes are an excellent option for students who are studying abroad for the semester, military members and families who are stationed overseas, or even those who want to take classes while traveling for pleasure. While online classes can usually be accessed from anywhere with a reliable internet connection, there are some things to consider before registering for class if you intend to complete the course while located outside of the U.S. Availability of a Reliable Internet Connection To access most online classes, students must have a reliable internet connection. This may be a challenge in some areas of the world due to various issues such as local network instability, outages, firewalls, or restrictive local internet policies. Before registering for an online class, research the internet accessibility situation in the area in whi...

University System of Georgia eCampus Offers Free Online Courses

Students can now take more than a dozen online non-credit college courses at no charge. While most students who take FreeCampus courses already attend USG colleges and universities, the courses are open to anyone. These self-paced courses are also asynchronous with traditional graded assessments. After successfully completing a course online, a student can receive a certificate for earning a grade of 75 percent or higher. There is no penalty for not completing a course. With a focus on courses that are sometimes a barrier to college completion, the USG FreeCampus program allows students to better prepare themselves for credit-bearing courses. For example, a dual-enrolled high school student can take an English composition course to hone his or her writing skills before taking the for-credit version at a College or University. An adult learner who is returning to college after years away can brush up on math, increasing both confidence and future academic performance. USG eCampus also ...

Dual Enrollment Success Rates on the Rise in eCore Classes

2018, Vol. 1 Georgia’s dual enrollment non-need based grant has resulted in increased dual credit participation. According to University System of Georgia (USG) enrollment reports, the increase in dual enrollments over the last two years was over 50 percent, representing a 3,500 student gain across the system. These students are earning college credits face-to-face and online. Dual credit eCore students achieved ABC rates at over 90 percent! 2,100 Courses Taken, 90% Earned College Credit Research indicates that students participating in dual credit programs show an increase in college persistence, grade point average, and college graduation (An, 2015; Hoffman, Vargas & Santos, 2009: Hughes 2010). Most USG dual enrolled students attend courses face-to-face at around 88 percent for FY17. There are several reasons why a high school student may require an online option to attend a USG institution. The state of Georgia has over 100 counties that are de...

Planet eCampus

Search This Blog