UI faculty move toward open source text

University of Idaho students may soon find themselves among the 1.2 million of their peers saving big money on required texts, thanks to an organization offering open source alternatives to pricey books.

Open source textbooks are textbooks licensed under an open copyright license and made available online to be freely used by students, teachers and members of the public.

Nicole Finkbeiner, associate director of institutional relations for OpenStax, spoke during a teleconference Tuesday as part of the UI's Open Education week, which features daily events and activities to inform students, faculty and staff how they can make use of free or inexpensive resources.

Finkbeiner said the expense of college is costing the U.S. some of its greatest minds, as many potential students see the cost overshadowing the benefits of higher education.

While the nonprofit organization can't lower tuition, it can cut the price of books, which many students struggle to afford, she said.

"Textbooks are a very real barrier for students," Finkbeiner said. "The average student has to work 28 hours at minimum wage to purchase a textbook."

Finkbeiner said the overwhelming costs - which can reach more than $1,200 annually - affect the number of students completing their coursework or enrolling in college at all.

And students aren't the only ones affected.

According to survey results quoted by Finkbeiner, faculty consulted reported 65 percent to 80 percent of students do not have their textbooks on the first day of class either because they cannot afford them, financial aid transfers are late to arrive or books are still in transit.

It's a trend that disrupts lesson plans and the often tight schedules professors and instructors face.

"What if every single student had immediate access to the text for that course?" she said.

Other benefits to using open source textbooks include the ability of professors to tweak, add or subtract material from the texts in order to provide a good fit as well as assorted free resources for educators and students and the ability to annotate the PDF file in order to make notes on the subject matter.

Anne Gaines, UI Library faculty member and coordinator of UI's open source textbook project, said the idea of these free textbooks - whether through OpenStax, Lumen learning or other sources - is to save students dollars on classroom resources.

"It's definitely a solution to this growing problem of textbook affordability," she said.

Faculty are beginning to take notice, she said, as one psychology professor is planning to use OpenStax texts for her fall class schedule and other educators already are.

"Faculty get the affordability problem," Gaines said. "It's positive, but it's cautiously positive."

University of Idaho professor Jodi Nicotra said she recently completed writing a textbook in her academic area of rhetoric and composition, but she doesn't view the availability of open source textbooks on campus as competition.

"I don't see it as threatening," Nicotra said. "I have a very specific philosophy in mind that I think works well for the University of Idaho."

Nicotra said she has used sections of open source texts for her classes, but she also has concerns about the editing practices of such books.

"Editors, feedback makes a big difference," she said.

The Vandal Store on UI campus is also watching the goings on with interest - and caution.

Sales manager Keith McIvor said it's too early to tell whether open source texts will make an impact on the store's sales.

"We're just encouraging the research to see if it's viable," he said. "We're in the business of selling textbooks but we're also in the business of making sure students get the best price."

Gaines said there is one group on campus that has no qualms about the new development.

"The students are on board," she said.

UI senior Ahmed Zahran, 26, said he could have used the extra money open source texts would have saved him, and he is glad other students may be able to benefit from them.

"I think it would be really helpful for student budgets," Zahran said.

Particularly food budgets, said Zahran, who frequently partakes of Top Ramen out of necessity.

"It would be awesome if they had open source textbooks," he said.

Shanon Quinn can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to squinn@dnews.com.