Open Education and Textbook Affordability at Shoreline CC

This is guide for students on how to search for courses that have Low-Cost (combined cost is less than $50 dollars) or OER (Open Educational Resources): No textbook to purchase using the Shoreline Community College Class Search through ctcLink.

The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) has made it possible for students to search in the Class Schedule for courses using  " OER: No Textbook to Purchase" or "Low-Cost Textbook“ course attribute. This labeling requirement is in response to Washington State Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1375 (Links to an external site.), that amended RCW 28B.50, (Links to an external site.) (RCW 28B.50.789 (Links to an external site.)), stipulating that a community college shall provide information about the cost of required materials for each course section.  

This is a tutorial video on how to locate Low-Cost and OER: No Textbook to Purchase in the Shoreline CC Class Search.

What are OER (Open Educational Resources)?? And why is there 'No textbook to purchase?'

OER is an educational movement

• OER stands for "Open Educational Resources" and is linked to an educational movement that began about 20 years ago and has become a global educational movement.
• Faculty who use OER in their courses are using freely available, high-quality educational resources in order to bring textbook costs down for students. OER, in essence, then are freely available, openly licensed resources -- textbooks, media, videos, articles, and more -- that are useful for teaching, learning, and assessing as well as for research purposes.
• Since OER resources are generally 'free use' students are not required to purchase the textbook.
• Students will also have access to OER materials before and after the course has ended.

What does Low-Cost mean?

 To be designated as a Low-Cost course, the combined cost of the required course materials should be $50 or less.

• Includes: ALL required instructional materials such as textbooks, websites, software programs, apps, courseware packages, access codes to homework websites etc.

• Does NOT include: Tools & supplies, course fees, small copying/printing costs.

Students can get involved! Check out this Textbook Affordability Student Toolkit by Open Oregon Educational Resources (2018). These changes won’t happen on their own—students will need to work for them. This toolkit provides resources for student leadership to bring open textbooks to their campuses and save students money.