Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research resources released under an open license that permits their free use and repurposing by others. OER can be full courses, course materials, lesson plans, open textbooks, learning objects, videos, games, tests, software, or any other tool, material, or technique that supports access to knowledge. (SPARC)
The Mississippi State University Office of Financial Aid estimates each full-time undergraduate student should budget at least $1,200 per year for textbooks and course materials. College textbook prices rose 82% between 2003 and 2013, approximately triple the rate of inflation in overall consumer prices during the same time period (27%). (SPARC)
In 2018, MSU Libraries asked students to write down what they would do with their extra money if they didn't have to buy textbooks.
Below, you will find a selection of responses:
On April 27, 2015, the Mississippi State University Student Association passed a resolution to support the investigation of Open Educational Resources at all Southeastern Conference (SEC) Universities. Student government continues to be interested and active in promoting faculty adoption of OER.
In Spring 2023, MSU's OER Task Force sent out a survey to gather information regarding the adoption and use of open educational resources at MSU. The results are below.
