In April 2016, the LAVC Academic Senate passed a resolution to reduce the cost of textbooks and supplies for students, and to increase access to high-quality open educational resources (OERs). This resolution enabled LAVC to apply for and receive a $50,000 grant under Assembly Bill 798 (AB 798).
Since AB-798 funds were awarded, LAVC's OER initiative -- OER @LAVC -- has grown exponentially, offering workshops, stipends, grant opportunities, and other support for faculty OER adoption. In the intervening years, LAVC has received additional funding to encourage OER adoptions, including a grant to create a Zero Textbook Cost Communication degree, and support from the ASCCC OER Initiative.
If you haven’t already, please consider adopting open educational resources as an alternative to costly, traditional textbooks. Explore this guide to learn more about OER and discover resources. If you have additional questions, want to get involved, or need support, contact Meghan Cason.
See LAVC's growing list of OER course sections since 2016.
NEWS FLASH: Since 2011, College of the Canyons has seen a nearly 98 percent increase in the number of students graduating. Chancellor Diane Van Hook cites increased textbook affordability through OER adoption as a major contributing factor. Read the story here.
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LAVC's students aren't outliers. According to a report released by the Student PIRGS, 65% of students reported not purchasing a required textbook at least once due to cost, and 94% of those students said they were concerned their grade would suffer because of this choice. Many instructors are adopting Open Educational Resources, which are shared freely on the web, instead of traditional textbooks to save students money and more effectively serve teaching and learning.
