Open Education Week 2020

This week UTA Libraries and UTA Student Government celebrated Open Education Week, an international event intended to “raise awareness and showcase impact of open education on teaching and learning worldwide.” Student Government representatives tabled outside the Central Library, encouraging UTA students to share their opinion about course materials.

This week, 80 students completed a survey designed by UTA Libraries to understand student spending and access strategies. The survey will be open throughout the month. Highlights from the data collected this week:

• 68% of students spent a total of $100-500 on required textbooks, access codes, and other course materials this semester, and 27% spent over $500
• 82% of students said they did not purchase all required course materials
• 61% of students said they were concerned or very concerned about not having access to required course materials

Student Government also collected feedback on their opinion board. Students were asked how much they spent on course materials and what they could have used the money on instead. Responses included:

• $100: tuition
• $100: I could use the money to help my mother out. She's a single parent.
• $180: save it; food/gas
• $200: food or rent
• $300: money for other resources
• $500-600: extra classes
• $550: car payment
• $600: I could have used it to save for abroad costs

Throughout the week, an open textbook display located in University Center raised awareness of a search filter in UTA’s schedule of classes for locating courses that require only open educational resources (OER) and other free materials. It also highlighted OER authored by UTA faculty and published by Mavs Open Press.