Open and Affordable Course Content Task Force Review

In March 2023, the UX Team supported the review of the mandate and future of Open and Affordable Course Content Task Force (OACCTF). This work was part of a Library strategic priority.  

Methods

• We conducted 16 interviews with current and past chairs of OACCTF, current and past members of OACCTF, library staff, and co-sponsors / campus colleagues
• We also conducted 2 focus groups with library strategic teams  

What did we learn?

• There was general agreement that OER/OACC is a positive direction for U of G, though we are at an early stage in the process.
• U of G’s culture of decentralized decision-making means it will be hard to get university-wide buy-in.  
• Instructors’ lack of awareness about OERs as a phenomenon is a barrier to adoption. Even if they use free and accessible course content, they may not have heard of OERs or ACC, and don’t realize there is a community around them.  
• Another barrier to adoption was the lack of search tools to find appropriate OERs (or lack of awareness of where to find search tools). 
• Most respondents said that the work of promoting and supporting OERs is a shared responsibility across campus. 
• There are many ways to double down on OER/ ACCs at the University. Some suggestions included: 
  • Set a goal that no first-year courses will require commercial textbooks
  • Focus efforts on one College or on a handful of departments and let OER/ ACC snowball
  • Increase awareness and accountability around textbook costs by including these costs in the course calendar
• Transition the Task Force into a longer-term University Committee or Community of Practice
• The Library can improve how it supports OER/ ACC by: 
  • Clarifying OER services on the library website 
  • Improving communication about OER services so instructors understand better what the library offers and can see services as a coordinated “package” 
  • Providing more support in assisting instructors in finding appropriate OER resources