Column: OER’s Student Impact

Going back to school to start my master's degree in public administration this semester has been a challenge, but it's one that I'm glad to have taken. From the outset, I knew that textbooks would be costly, based on my experience as an undergrad. This expectation proved true as I hunted online platforms for the best deals. 

The other thing I knew about some textbooks was that the content of these books would be dull. In my experience, most textbooks don't have a good way to grab a reader's attention. Reading these books is like listening to actor Ben Stein, the teacher from the movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," read Shakespeare for an hour-it's enough to put you to sleep. 

However, my expectations were turned upside down after I enrolled in Dr. Hannah Lebovits' Public Service Ethics class. Dr. Lebovits had written and published a textbook, "Public Service Ethics," through Open Educational Resources here at UTA Libraries. This service allows faculty members to publish teaching and learning materials at no cost to students.  

Finding out that I did not have to buy another book was a relief to my finances, but that was not the biggest surprise. The biggest surprise was how the book's content connected with me over the spring semester.  

Having a personalized textbook like this is a valuable resource. The content of Dr. Lebovits' book content fits today's world and could be adapted and revised to fit the world of tomorrow, benefiting even more students.  This flexibility is a great advantage of OER-published materials. As free resources, they are licensed to allow for revision and reuse. 

For me, I know that having this type of personal investment made by Dr. Lebovits transformed a course that initially seemed to be about theory and practical application into a unique and engaging learning experience. 

As a student who benefited from an OER-published textbook, it's a game changer. While off-the-shelf textbooks have their place at universities, those published through OER positively impact a student's academic journey and career long after they leave the classroom. 

I encourage our faculty members here at UTA to explore OER and the services they offer. The OER staff here at UTA Libraries can take your idea and turn it into reality, elevating your course to the next level. 

Email our Open Educational Resources staff at UTA Libraries at oer@uta.edu to learn more about this great resource on campus. Additional information about OER is on the UTA Libraries website.