Student advocates investing big in open textbooks

B.C. Federation of Students donates $30,000 to create open educational resources with BCcampus.

Vancouver, British Columbia – September 20, 2018 – Recognizing the substantial savings for students realized through open textbooks, the British Columbia Federation of Students (BCFS) has made a $30,000 contribution to BCcampus Open Education to fund the creation of open educational resources (OER), including open textbooks and ancillary resources.

Post by BCcampus’ editorial team

Since 2012, BCcampus Open Education, formerly known as the B.C. Open Textbook Project, has saved students across the province nearly $9 million through the creation of over 250 open textbooks on a wide variety of subjects, with over 2000 adoptions through 40 participating institutions.

Aran Armutlu, chairperson of the B.C. Federation of Students, said, “students in B.C. are struggling to pay massive upfront costs to access university and college. The current model, where those who can afford to buy their course materials are the ones who succeed, creates a barrier that affects many of our most marginalized communities. OERs remove the barrier of the pay-to-succeed model, creating equitable access to our classrooms and promoting open pedagogical practices that support student success in an inclusive way.”

Amanda Coolidge, BCcampus Senior Manager, Open Education, shared, “open textbooks are created and reviewed by educators; they’re a high-quality, affordable – in most cases free – learning resource, and by following Universal Design for Learning principles, they improve accessibility for all students, ensuring students have the materials they need in a format they can use. On top of the financial savings, the collaborative approach to learning made possible through open textbooks changes the dynamic in the classroom, enabling instructors to create powerful lessons that engage their students and make real learning possible.”

“We hope faculty, institutions, and government see this investment as a beacon that students recognize OERs as a solution to the affordability crisis, and are willing to support each other proactively,” said Aran. “This investment is by students, for students, and will ideally lead to more robust funding.”

About the B.C. Federation of Students:

The BC Federation of Students represents over 130,000 students at 13 universities and colleges in every region of BC. Together, these students advocate for a well-funded system of post-secondary education in BC that is affordable and accessible for all students.

Media contact: Aran Armutlu, Chairperson, British Columbia Federation of Students

(604) 733-1880 | wearebcstudents.ca | @theBCFS

About BCcampus:

BCcampus promotes collaboration within teaching, learning, educational technology, and open education for the post-secondary institutions of British Columbia, making innovations in learning and teaching possible. The work done by BCcampus enables a systemic approach to student learning and recognizes and celebrates the diversity of British Columbia’s post-secondary system. For more information, visit BCcampus.ca.