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An Introduction to Affordable Learning Materials

A guide to help instructors learn about, find, evaluate, and adopt affordable learning materials for their courses

Impact of Affordable Learning Materials

price changes 1998-2019 for selected consumer goodsThe cost of textbooks continues to rise and costs are becoming prohibitive to the point students are choosing to not purchase a textbook if they can avoid it. According to Nicole Allen, of Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), a recent survey "found that seven in 10 undergraduates skipped buying one or more required textbooks because the cost is too high, and three-quarters of those students believed that doing so could hurt their grades". According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, since 2006, consumer prices for college textbooks have increased 88 percent and housing at school (excluding board) increased 51 percent.

 
 

 

Learning about the costs of textbooks and how those costs can be reduced for students is an important part of student recruitment and retention.  The cost of textbooks can be surprising, especially those who are first generation college students.  Faculty across the country are starting to take notice and are working to reduce the amount of money students are paying for class materials and in the process are saving them thousands of dollars.  

Click on graph for larger image

Because textbooks are expensive, students wait to purchase them until they know that they'll be used for the class or they avoid buying a textbook at all even knowing that it may hurt their grade. They start the semester at disadvantage. From a 2021 survey of Dominican students regarding textbooks:

  • 56% stated that they won't buy a textbook if it's too expensive
  • 54% have taken a class and not purchased the required textbook
  • 24% stated that the costs of textbooks impacts the number of classes that they'll take in a semester

The high cost of textbooks affects historically underserved and first-generation students disproportionally. For example, a study by CSU Channel Islands found statistically significant differences in how textbook prices affect first-generation college students:

  • Experience higher levels of stress du to textbook costs
  • Were less likely to have their books the first day of class
  • We're less likely to have the textbooks at all due to cost
    • and felt that it limited their learning
    • even knowing that it would limit learning
  • We're more likely to fail a class due to textbook costs

The 2020 study, Textbook Broke: Textbook Affordability as a Social Justice Issue found that stress levels were increased by historically underserved students.

Increased stress due to textbook costs

Using OER and Affordable Learning Materials gives you, the course creator, flexibility and creativity. With that, you can created a more inclusive course for your students by:

  • Including text, images, videos, etc.  that reflect the diversity of your students
  • Using a variety of different types of learning materials to meet your students' learning styles
  • Adjusting content to include local and regional interests

Studies on the Impact of Affordable Learning Materials