CampusGuides: Open Educational Resources (OER) & Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) at GCC: Student Impact

What is the impact of high textbook costs on students?

Ben Popken explains what's behind the rise in textbook prices, and how the economics behind school supplies will keep pushing prices higher.

Open Education Group Review Project
Led by John Hilton III, this review provides a summary of all known empirical research on the impacts of OER adoption. It is updated as new studies are conducted.

As Hilton (2016) asks: “Because students and faculty members generally find that OER are comparable in quality to traditional learning resources, and that the use of OER does not appear to negatively influence student learning, one must question the value of traditional textbooks. If the average college student spends approximately $1,000 per year on textbooks and yet performs scholastically no better than the student who utilizes free OER, what exactly is being purchased with that $1,000?”

How to find a Low or Zero Textbook Cost course at GCC
Did you know that Glendale Community College offers many classes that use lower cost textbooks or that do not require students to purchase a textbook?

Find Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) and Low Textbook Cost (LTC) courses using these instructions!

Survey: How do textbook costs impact you?
Tell us how the cost of textbooks has impacted you in this short survey.