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Affordable Learning

What is affordable learning?

Affordable learning includes open textbooks and course materials, using existing library/university resources, or using low-cost reading materials.

Some students struggle to afford textbooks and most worry about finances. Class success is harder when students cannot obtain course materials by the first day. Textbooks from publishers are usually not financially sustainable or even available to libraries. Open course materials help ease the burden between food, rent, and textbooks.

How does this affect student success?

Here are what ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù students have said from previous open educational resources pilot initiatives:

"Some semesters, I pay $500-800 on textbooks, some of which are barely/never used in the class. As a Pell grant student, I find it hard to spend money on these textbooks when the money could be going toward my tuition or other expenses."

"I think the providing the e-book was a great idea, and that this should be expanded to other classes."

— 2024-25 Engineering OER pilot participant

"I think it’s a great idea and with how much tuition is going up, there’s not really an excuse to not cover at least some of the textbooks. Other Wisconsin schools have already incorporated this policy."

— 2024-25 Engineering OER pilot participant

"Please expand! Buying textbooks can be incredibly burdensome on students."

— 2022-23 Community.Books.You. pilot participant

What are open educational resources (OER)?

Open educational resources are openly licensed, freely available texts, media, and other digital materials that support teaching, learning, and research.

Affordable learning initiatives are increasing in higher education, with libraries providing both resources and expertise to support OER and faculty retooling class resources and readings. These efforts both help increase student success by decreasing student debt, increasing access to course readings and tools on the first day of class, and have been shown to positively affect class performance and decrease D grade, F grade, and withdraw rates.

Library Resources

The library has access to many resources that can be used across campus for free. These include streaming videos, ebooks, audiobooks, interactive resources & quizzes, and more.

Affordable Learning Stipend

Stipends will be available this winter and upcoming spring to review open textbooks and resources. Preference is given to non-tenure track faculty, especially those teaching high DFW classes. This is made possible with funding from ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù's Explorer Challenge 2.0.