Student perspective: Open access and open educational resources in higher education

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Pursuing a college degree is a significant investment for many students, and textbooks and other course materials represent a substantial additional expense. Some students may need to choose between essential needs and academic requirements. This dilemma can be a significant barrier to educational success. Students may attempt to continue courses without the required resources, hoping to get by without them. In some cases, the cost of textbooks can even determine whether a student takes a class.

This financial constraint isn't just a problem for students. The cost of peer-reviewed, high-quality intellectual materials also restricts access to those who can pay for it, even though research is often funded by federal grants that use taxpayer dollars. This is where the international open access movement comes into play. Driven by the principle that publicly funded research should be readily available to the public, open access strives for unrestricted digital access to research published in academic journals.

"Open access really became something that people cared about after the pandemic," says Michele Behr, Western's scholarly communications and open educational resources librarian. "There was a lot of research, and people needed to have access to it."

By removing paywalls and other barriers, open access empowers a wider audience to engage with academic knowledge, fostering a more informed and engaged majority.

Within the broader context of open access, open educational resources (OER) are powerful tools for instructors to level the playing field for students. OER encompasses a wide range of free or low-cost teaching and learning materials that are openly licensed for use, adaptation and distribution. OER materials can be remixed, revised and repurposed indefinitely, creating a dynamic and evolving bank of educational content. This content supports learning at all education levels, ranging from elementary to undergraduate and graduate studies.

Switching to an OER can be time-consuming for instructors, who need time to evaluate existing resources and adapt or create new OER to align with their curriculum. The Libraries' OER grants provide a financial incentive for Western Michigan University faculty and instructors to switch to free, high-quality online resources rather than using a traditional textbook, or to create their own resources to share with the world.

For students, the immediate benefit of OER is financial relief. OER also has the potential to create a more engaging educational experience. Instructors can tailor the OER content to suit their course and students' interests. Students can also focus on their learning without worrying about how to afford their textbooks, creating a more equitable and supportive learning environment.

As more educators and institutions embrace OER, learners from all backgrounds will benefit and have a chance to thrive. The future of education lies partly in the continued exploration and expansion of OER and open access, ensuring that access to knowledge is no longer a privilege but a right.

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