Open Educational Practices

At Temple University, students have played an important role in advancing efforts to bring attention to the high cost of textbooks and the challenges it creates for students, particularly those who are experiencing food, housing or other basic needs insecurity. Most of that student activity has been centered on the work of Temple Student Government. There are other ways to advocate for affordable course materials. This section of the guide will share some ways students can get involved.

Image Source: https://libguides.unf.edu/StudentGuideOERAdvocacy

The first step to becoming an open education student advocate, beyond concerns about paying for your course materials, is to learn more about open education and the textbook affordability movement. This page contains information student textbook affordability advocates can use to support their efforts to reduce the cost and impact of high course material costs for Temple students.

• The Student Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) has published over 20 reports on the problem of high textbook costs. 
• Review PIRG's Frequently Asked Questions document on open textbooks. Learn what an open textbook is, what makes it an "open" resources and how to find them. There are additional resources for students on the PIRG site for you to learn more about OER (Open Educational Resources). 
• Work with your fellow students to explore PIRG's Student Government Toolkit to identify strategies for getting involved and creating a textbook affordability movement on campus. There are tips, for example, on how to create a social media campaign or building support among the faculty. 

Temple University Library's Open Education Group and our University Textbook Task Force already work with Temple Student Government on open education and textbook affordability initiatives. If you have questions or would like to get more involved, reach out to the Library's Open Education Group.

In 2023, Temple University Libraries participated in a statewide course material costs survey of college students that yielded insights into the impact of the high cost of textbooks on students' learning experiences, their academic decisions and how it effects the way they acquire course materials.
Among the findings:

•  49% of our student respondents indicated they were moderately or extremely worried about the cost of their course materials. 

• 57% of our student respondents indicated that they occasionally or frequently did not purchase required course materials.
• 98% of out student respondents indicated they always take measures (i.e., buy used texts, look for a pirated version, etc.) to reduce the cost of course materials.

You can read a summary of the survey to learn more about the impact of high course material costs on Temple students

In October 2023 the Temple Student Government unanimously voted in the affirmative to approve the TSG Textbook Affordability Resolution. The resolution calls on the University President, Vice-President, Provost, and administration to support the expansion of funding and infrastructure for the promotion and use of open and affordable learning materials at the University.

Take time to review the Textbook Affordability Resolution to better understand the impact of textbook costs on students, along with the listed potential strategies that can be used at the University to reduce the burden of course material costs for students. 

One simple strategy you can adopt to be a student advocate is to SPREAD THE WORD...point your fellow students to this guide and this section to help increase the number of open education advocates at Temple University. Here are some additional suggestions for actions student advocates can take:

• Is your instructor already using OER or other zero-cost course materials? If so, thank them for saving you money by not requiring the purchase of an expensive textbook. 
• Is your instructor requiring you to purchase your course materials? Encourage them to explore using OER or other zero-cost course materials - and suggest reaching out to Temple University librarians for assistance.
• Reach out to Temple Student Government to find out more about how you can get involved with their textbook affordability initiatives.
• Become familiar with the library's webpage that lists etextbooks that are being used in Temple courses. You can use them at no cost. Refer your friends and fellow students to this page to help them save on textbook costs.
• Use your social media to start conversations with your network about textbook affordability issues to get other students engaged and educated about ways to create a better and more affordable approach to course materials.
• Explore the great OER Student Advocate Packet for even more ideas and strategies for supporting textbook affordability at Temple University.