Join the campaign
#TextbookbrokeBC
Here are 3 things you can do to increase OER use at Vancouver Community College:
Stop by the Students’ Union office and sign the petition asking for more sustainable funding and OER adoption at VCC!
Talk to your intructors about using Open Resources in their classroom. If they have questions, direct them to www.open.bccampus.ca
Learn more about Open Educational Resources
WHAT ARE OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCES (OERs)?
Open Education Resources are “teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain…that permit{s] their free use and re-purposing by others”1. These materials commonly include textbooks and open access journals, but can also include other materials used for learning and research like course materials, modules, videos, tests, software or other resources the support access to knowledge2.
OER = BETTER EDUCATION
Open educational resources are said to increase knowledge flow and increase the overall quality of education3. Not only are these resources freely available to students, researchers, professors and others, but they can be changed, edited, summarized or customized for a specific class or module4. The process of adapting resources can also include students, resulting in a more meaningful learning experience5.
OERs have already saved students MILLIONS!
In the past 7 years, open textbooks have saved students over $26 million; more funding will results in more materials and save students money one class at a time! All it takes to expand the program is a commitment from instructors and administration to make saving students money a priority.
THE BIGGEST BARRIER TO INCREASED ACCESS TO OER IS YOU
There are many barriers to increased use of Open Resources at Vancouver Community College, but most, if not all, can be overcome by coordinated action by students. This starts with you!
SOURCES & FURTHER READING
SOURCES
- BC Campus. (2016). Who We Are – Open Educational Resources (OER). Retrieved September 5, 2016 from https://bccampus.ca/open-educational-resources-oer-teaching-resources-bccampus/
- BC Campus. (2016). Who We Are – Open Educational Resources (OER). Retrieved September 5, 2016 from https://bccampus.ca/open-educational-resources-oer-teaching-resources-bccampus/
- Kurelovic, E. K. (2016). Advantages and limitations of usage of open educational resources in small countries. International Journal of Research in Education and Science (IJRES), 2(1), 136-142. Retrieved September 5, 2016 from https://oerknowledgecloud.org/sites/oerknowledgecloud.org/files/5000123134-5000259500-1-PB.pdf
- BC Campus. (2016). Open Textbooks 101. Retrieved September 5, 2016 from https://open.bccampus.ca/open-textbook-101/
- University of British Columbia Alma Mater Society. (2016). Open Educational Resources (OERs). Retrieved September 5, 2016 from http://www.ams.ubc.ca/leadership/executive/key-projects/open-educational-resources-oers/
- BC Campus. (2016). BC Campus in Top 10 for saving students money with free textbooks in US and number 1 in Canada. Retrieved September 5, 2016 from https://open.bccampus.ca/2016/08/03/bccampus-in-top-10-for-saving-students-money-with-free-textbooks-in-u-s-and-number-1-in-canada/
- Ministry of Advanced Education. (2016). Post-Secondary Central Data Warehouse Standard Reports, May 2016 Data Submission, Headcount Totals. Victoria, BC: Government of British Columbia. Retrieved September 5, 2016 from http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/datawarehouse/documents/headcount.pdf
