Faculty Perceptions and Usage of OER at Oregon Community Colleges

Abstract

Open Educational Resources (OER) are vital in transforming the student learning experience, whether it is through a social justice lens that seeks to remedy inequities by reducing student cost burden and supporting access to materials or, increasingly, the pedagogical changes faculty are making that enhance student learning. Community college students are more subject to potential debt load and a proportionally higher textbook cost burden based on student aid offered to them. Therefore understanding what motivates community faculty to adopt OER and what barriers exist is vital in expanding OER opportunities for these students. This study examined Oregon community college faculty’s experience with the OER process including a survey which sought information about faculty motivation, usage, implementation, barriers to implementation, both student and faculty perception, and administrative support. This study found that the majority of faculty modified the OER during the adoption process and changed their instructional practices after adoption. It found that sustained support structures for faculty were needed for OER adoption, including training on pedagogical best practices and technology associated with the OER and time for reflection on how to integrate these into their courses when adopting the OER. It also found that release time or funding for OER adoption, modification, or customization was needed, including ancillary materials. Overall, faculty believed that their efforts resulted in positive benefits for students, including student savings, increased access to higher education, and increased engagement while allowing faculty to have greater control over their own courses.