Chapter 6: Next Steps

In the previous five chapters you learned about OER and free resources, about Creative Commons licensing, copyright and proper attributions, and how to find and evaluate resources. We're also hopeful that you have been able to find resources that meet your needs and will help reduce or eliminate the cost of textbooks for students.

In this last chapter, we've got two last topics to cover.

Chapter 6 Objectives

1. Ability to designate a class as Textbook Cost: $0 following campus procedures. (LO1)
2. Provide feedback regarding OER training.

Textbook Cost: $0

If you remember, Textbook Cost: $0 (TXT0) was introduced and discussed in Chapter 1. Then we spent a lot of time on OER. The reason for the focus on OER is that the global OER movement both encourages faculty to create and enables faculty to adopt high-quality, no-cost, openly licensed textbooks and other materials in place of expensive commercial textbooks.

However, there are many resources free to students that are not OER. UH OER advocates decided to make faculty aware of both OER and other quality materials when encouraging faculty to tackle the high cost of their textbooks. Both types of materials fall under the label "Textbook Cost: $0" or TXT0 (zero). There is no rule requiring TXT0 classes to exclusively use OERs. However, for a class to be TXT0 students must not be required to purchase any course materials out-of-pocket.

Here are some no-cost non-OER materials that can be used:

• Instructor-created content. Whether or not the instructor chooses to openly license the copyright to the materials, the course can still be designated TXT0 as long as students are not required to purchase any of the content.
• Videos, e-books, journal articles, and other materials accessible by students via the campus library.
• Links to copyrighted/restricted materials (e.g., linking/embedding a YouTube video, linking to a webpage), as this is an accepted practice by OER practitioners.

If you are looking to create a TXT0 class, you have several options. You could adopt a single OER textbook to replace our current commercial textbook, you could choose to write your own content, you could curate and use resources free for students to use, or you could use a combination of OER and free resources.

The TXT0 designation gives students the ability to make informed choices that reduce their educational costs and student loans. The TXT0 label displays in the Class Availability listing and in STAR GPS. The following FAQs are taken and adapted from Leeward CC and Hawaii CC.

• What is a TXT0 class?         

• The TXT0 designation for a course indicates there are no costs for course materials. Course materials include textbooks, readings, or other content. A student in a TXT0 class will not be required to pay for any course materials for the class. TXT0 classes may use Open Educational Resources (OERs) only or a combination of OERs, web resources, library resources, and faculty-authored materials that replace commercially produced textbooks, online platforms, and other fee-based course materials.

• So, there is no textbook?         

• Not necessarily. It could be that:                 

• there is no required textbook for the class but course materials are no-cost and freely accessible, or
• the textbook may be an electronic book either freely accessible or available via the library.

• Is Textbook Cost: $0 the same as OER?         

• No. TXT0 is a designation for classes that do not require students to pay for course materials. Materials in TXT0 classes can be                 

• entirely OER or
• can be a mix of OER with materials that are not OER but provided at no cost to students or
• can be exclusively materials that are not OER but provided at no cost to students.

• Where does the Textbook Cost: $0 designation appear?        

• You can see a list of TXT0 courses offered at all UH campuses on the UH OER TXT0 website.
• The TXT0 designation appears for students using Star GPS under More Information
• In each campus' class availability listing at UH's Class Availability website,         

• "Textbook Cost: $0" appears at the beginning of the Comments field for each "Textbook Cost: $0"class
• "TXT0" is listed as an attribute for each class

• This "How to Find TXT0 Courses" video is made for students and demonstrates how students can find TXT0 classes for which to register.

• Would some of these Textbook Cost: $0 classes still require payment for Access Codes to online learning material like homework, exercises, additional reading, MyMathLab, MyWritingLab, etc.?        

• No. TXT0 designated classes must use only course materials that are freely available to students from the first day of class.

• What if students want a printed copy of an Open Textbook?         

• Students may choose to print out any part of or the entire OER textbook, at their cost. While this may seem to conflict with the TXT0 designation, printing is a student's choice. The OER textbook is available to all students on the first day of instruction, at no cost.

• Can a class that uses instructional non-OER materials be designated TXT0?         

• Yes. As long as there is no cost to students. Examples of non-OER (but free) materials could include copyrighted/licensed materials that are available through library subscription or via links to copyrighted materials on the internet.

• What if my course requires students to purchase equipment or supplies?         

• Equipment, tools, or supplies needed to apply the learning occurring in the class are not considered course materials.

• If a class has mandatory fees (for supplies), or an equipment list (e.g., tools for a trade program), can it still qualify for TXT0 designation if the course materials (textbooks, manuals, etc.) are all open/no cost?         

• Yes. Supply and equipment fees do not prevent classes from being listed at Textbook Cost: $0 as long as the class meets the requirements.

TXT0 Process

The process of designating a class as TXT0 is voluntary, instructor-initiated, and uncomplicated. However, at the same time, we need to ensure the integrity of the designation, consider the workflow process, and also include some data collection functionality.

Integrity of the TXT0 Designation

First, let's consider the integrity of the designation. In terms of integrity, if a class is designated TXT0 on the class availability listing, it needs to be true. Instructors will self-certify that students will not have to purchase any course materials required for the successful completion of their class. Also, it will be the responsibility of that instructor (not the Department Chair or Dean) to ensure that their class meets the definition of Textbook Cost: $0. If an inquiry or complaint is made about a certain class, the Department Chair and/or Dean may be asked to follow up with the instructor.

Workflow process

Workflow processes differ across campuses. View the TXT0 Designation Procedures document to find information about the designation process at your campus.

Chapter 6 Attributions:

• "Textbook Cost: $0 Frequently Asked Questions" by OER @ Leeward Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0.