Stephen Acker presented research findings from three open textbook projects in Ohio. The Flat World Knowledge pilot found students had positive perceptions of digital textbooks and saw cost savings. The Next Generation Learning Challenge is building an open online database of math and statistics materials linked to learning outcomes. A collaboration also examined the accessibility of open educational resources on mobile devices for students with disabilities. The research aims to promote affordable and improved learning through open textbooks in Ohio.
Open Textbooks in OhioResearch Findings on Affordability, Acceptance, Accessibility and Learning Outcomes
1. Open Textbooks in Ohio
Research Findings on
Affordability, Acceptance, Accessibili
ty and Learning Outcomes
Stephen R. Acker
Research Director, Ohio Digital Bookshelf
OhioLINK/The Ohio Board of Regents
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
3. Ohio’s Strategic Plan
• Drive to increase college enrollment and
attainment in Ohio tied to affordability and
improved learning outcomes.
• Ohio Strategic Summit recommended credible
research and large scale pilots
• Three projects summarized today
– Flat World Knowledge 4 campus pilot
– Next Generation Learning Challenge 6 campus pilot
– Accessible mobile learning 3 campus collaboration
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
4. Flat World Knowledge
• Lorain County CC, Sinclair CC, Tri-C
CC, University of Akron
• 330 respondents across 17 classes and four
disciplines
• Pre-post use data complete on Summer
offerings (3 courses, n=41/36) and Pre-use Fall
data (n= 272) collected on all participating
classes
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
5. Flat World Knowledge Results
• About the students
– 45% majors, 45% non-majors, 10% undecided
– 75% bought from bookstore, 30% had rented
– 85% believe they’re better than average computer
user
– 80% used laptop, 56% desktop, 30% printed, 10%
phone, 9% tablet
– 25% “important to own textbook”
– 68%- “need more than Internet” for learning
resources
– 30%- “Academic use of Facebook OK”
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
6. Flat World Knowledge Results
• Student perceptions (post Fall results needed to
confirm) regarding digital learning materials:
– 81% “same quality as print”
– 90% “more flexible and up-to-date”
– 90% “more cost effective”
• 36% of print price value before use
• 44% of print price value after use
– Search, ToC, Supplements, Cut-and-paste all highly
valued, note taking “OK”
– Preference for digital went from 51% to 86% after use
– Think will print (30%) > Actually did print (13%)
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
7. Flat World Knowledge Results
• “Compared to other textbooks I have used for
similar courses, I felt this course’s textbook
was:”
More Same Less
Engaging 61% 39% 0%
Detailed 64% 33% 3%
Thorough 51% 46% 3%
Clear 54% 43% 3%
Supports University of Cincinnati 2010 ELI “expert rater” study
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
8. Open Access Online Textbooks
Student Satisfaction
Mean = 8.5
StdDev = 1.9 N = 40
N = 64 MBA students
N = 21
N=2 N=1
Not Satisfied Very Satisfied
Dr. Shu Schiller, Information Systems, College of Business, Wright State University
9. Ongoing research questions
• Do results vary by discipline?
• Do results vary by Major vs. Nonmajor?
• Will perceived value continue to show
increase with Fall data?
• Will results replicate when learning materials
offered at market price?
• How large a role does faculty member play in
acceptance of digital?
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
10. NexGen Learning Challenge
• OhioLINK awarded Wave I NGCL grant to build
and promote OER in math and statics
• Ohio Scaffold to the Stars OER database
– Stitz-Zeager Pre-Calculus OER book
– Marcks-Looker Statics OER website
– Multiple sites indexed to Ohio Transfer Module
learning outcomes
• Linkable as complete curricula or
supplemental readings
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
11. NexGen Preliminary observations
• Multi-site collaboration hard but required
• OER User interface needs to be intuitive at
point of use for easy faculty adoption
• Intersecting faculty/student “crowd source
ratings” will drive use
• Item-level learning outcomes needed for
research, but novel for faculty
• Leveraging discipline allegiance and
innovation honoraria for student benefit
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
12. Mobile eLearning Accessibility
• OER and mobile learning greatest innovation
impact this year and next per 2011 Horizon
Report.
• Is either domain accessible and how will this
influence diffusion of OER?
– Paired eReaders (iPad, Kindle, Nook, Samsung
Galaxy, H Netbook) with software (HearRead, Jaws, )
and text formats (Inkling, Bookshare, MathML)
– Distributed mobile learning environments to students
with print disabilities
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
14. OER and Accessibility
• Main research questions
– Can students with print disabilities use
eReaders, accessible text formats, and reading
software to enhance their learning?
• Bookshare a credible source for OER accessible
materials
• Faculty need accessibility awareness for OER
• iPad a superior eReader (Kindle/Nook improving)
• Math OER seldom accessible (MathML needed)
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
15. OER and Ohio goals
• OER can promote both affordability and
improved learning outcomes for Ohio
students.
• We are encouraged by data and acceptance
results so far and predict growth in OER
adoptions going forward
– Credible data and faculty incentives key drivers
• Diffusion strategies and commitment to
universal access need ongoing attention
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
16. Contacts
• Steve Acker (acker.1@osu.edu)
– Research Director, Ohio Digital Bookshelf
• John Magill (johnm@ohiolink.edu)
– Executive Director, OhioLINK
• Darlene McCoy (dmccoy@regents.state.oh.us)
– Associate Vice Chancellor for affordability and
efficiency, The Ohio Board of Regents
Presented to the Sloan-C Conference
November 10, 2011 Orlando Florida
Hinweis der Redaktion
These action planks were derived at a statewide conference in February, 2011 attended by faculty, administrators, bookstore reps, librarians, students, and publishers
Improved learning outcomes tied to new pedagogies and affordability drive Ohio’s Strategic Plan for College Attainment. Data-based outcomes valued as vehicle to converse with faculty who seek empirical results for policy and change.
Happytoshare instruments and compare results on similar projects. Contact Steve Acker (acker.1@osu.edu). Much of the preliminary work on creating and testing the sruvey instruments reflects the contributions of Danielle Budzick at Tri-C Community College and Kathleen Gish at Sinclair Community College
25% plan to buy Tablet in next 12 months.
Only the three classes offered in the summer have complete pre and post use survey data. 41 students began in three summer classes and 36 completed the classes. We have data on an additional 272 students who have taken the pre-survey for Fall and will complete the data collection in December of 2011.
UC research conducted by Professor Charles Ginn and 13 Psi Chi honors students. Working as paired raters, the students evaluated their existing traditional commercial textbook, a Flat World textbook, and the Open Internet. Results presented at the 2010 Educause Learning Initiative Conference, Washington, D.C.
Based on research conducted by Professor Shu Schiller in an MBA course conducted at Wright State University in 2010. Her MBA students felt very positive about the e-book. “95% of them rated either satisfied or very satisfied with the e-book. There are two outliers in this sample, which is very typical with the adoption of innovative technologies in any domain. But even considering these two outliers, the mean value of students satisfaction is 8.5 out of 10.”In summary, based on my own experience, I have found strong evidence that e-books are working in the higher education! I am very confident that e-textbooks will become main stream in the near future. So, I want to say this to my colleagues, it is the time! Look into your options and let it start in your class!
Very important to validate and extend research based on the larger Autumn, 2011 sample. Additional follow-up research will be conducted with students required to purchase the textbook rather than receiving free access to the digital materials (B&W or color was student expense in study reported here, digital content and ancillaries were provided at no-cost to the student).
Core resources in our “Academic T.” Full tree of OER math materials help Statics students review forgotten math concepts. Statics problems provide application environment for Math students.
Preliminary findings. Data collected in three waves between Autumn 2011 and Summer 2012
The Accessible Digital Rights Management Project is the source of funding for this project. The goal is to determine whether students with print disabilities have equal access with equal effort to the mobile learning environment.
Private Research community built within Facebook to leverage student familiarity with the interface. Students were trained on technologies and then completed diaries and debriefed with a usability research at end of four weeks of use.
More complete results available from Accessing Higher Ground Conference proceedings, November 16-19 Denver, CO.
Overall, Open Educational Resources will play a significant role in Ohio’s efforts to provide affordable education designed to improve studentpersistence, retention, and attainment.