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Mini Literature Review

What is the influence of university students on the adaptation of open textbooks?

Skylar Robinson

Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at Arlington

KINE 4359-002: Public Health Cumulative Experience

Dr. Brandie Green

February 2, 2022
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Mini Literature Review

Introduction

For the past few years, open textbooks have rapidly become more popular in universities by

students. Due to the financial and academic burden traditional textbooks could have on students;

open textbooks would positively impact students. The financial burden of traditional textbooks is

the high cost. Resulting in students' GPAs or grades dropping in the courses because of the

expense of the textbook. There are many positive utilizations when students use open textbooks

due to the usage. Students can have a positive perspective of open textbooks; therefore, they're

likely to be frequently used. Resulting in students being prepared for their courses to have

academic accomplishments. This would have a huge influence on the outcomes that open

textbooks have on students. Including the open textbook being easily accessible, increasing

grades or GPA, and reducing the financial burden. Overall, open textbooks would allow students

to achieve academic success without paying excessive money for their textbooks.

Introduction: COUP Framework

The theme of the literature review was based on various research on academic research

and articles that have a common link to the cost, usage, and outcomes of open textbooks. After

researching the themes, it all connects to the COUP Framework. The word COUP in the COUP

framework is an abbreviation for cost, outcome, usage, and perception (Hilton et al., 2013). The

COUP framework is used for open educational resources, also known as open textbooks. COUP

framework focuses on the impacts, and positive influence open textbooks could have on

students. Cost focuses on the financial impact of open textbooks, outcomes focus on the success

students could have, usage focuses on the student's engagement, and perceptions focus on their

adaptability to open textbooks (Hilton et al., 2013).

Cost
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The high cost of traditional textbooks. Many students already have to take out loans

and financially struggle with paying for college. Most of the time, professors assign textbooks,

and they are required to have a textbook for the course. When buying a textbook, most college

students are required to buy a code to access the book, class and study materials, tests, quizzes,

which is equivalent to buying a brand new textbook. However, paying for textbooks is an added

financial stress and the possibility of getting into more debt. Due to being an expense for college

students, high cost is one factor in students not being able to afford a traditional textbook.

Students will often spend an average of more than $1,000 per year for their courses (Senack,

2014). According, to an article, the prices of textbooks have increased over the past few decades

to over 80% (GAO, 2013). Prices of textbooks are still high despite students buying used books

or renting out their textbooks. The cost of traditional textbooks has many different negative

effects on university students.

Risk of GPA/Grades Dropping. The higher cost of textbooks could risk students' GPAs

or grades dropping in their courses. Compared to students who have access to online books, they

had a higher grade average than students reading a traditional textbook (Fischer, 2015). The risk

of students' grades dropping, and their GPA dropping is high when students' textbooks are

expensive (Martin et al., 2017). Students will not buy a textbook for a course. Based on the

cost of the required textbook, students might choose to not enroll in a course. If they do enroll in

the course, some students will take the risk of not buying or renting the textbook, risking their

grades (Martin et al., 2017). Our students will choose to take the risk of buying a textbook,

however, they would take only a few classes, which could still cause their grades to drop (Martin

et al., 2017). High risk of dropping out/not taking course due to cost. Those who can't afford

to buy a book could be at risk of dropping because they are not getting the textbook required for
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Mini Literature Review

their courses. This could cause students to take longer to graduate, acquiring more debt. Due to

the high cost of a traditional textbook, online textbooks are likely to affect university students'

usage positively.

Usage

Online textbook utilization. Having access to OER known as free online textbooks

could make a huge difference for students. OER abbreviated as open education resources were

created for the purpose of providing students access to textbooks at little to no cost (Frydenberg

et al., 2007). Meaning students are able to access free online textbooks, where they are easily

adaptable. Many students who are assigned open textbooks are open to reading from open

textbooks. Even though it could impact most students, it would likely have the most impact on

those who couldn't afford traditional textbooks. Therefore, open textbooks could positively

impact low-income students due to the free cost (Read et al., 2020). They're able to use those

funds towards something else such as housing, healthcare, and other educational needs (Martin et

al., 2017). This could be a positive effect on students for many different reasons. Some reasons

include they won't go into even more debt, and they won't have to choose between going into

debt or risking their grades to take a course. Students can also share the textbook with their peers

and print as needed (Jhangiani & Jhangiani, 2017). Resulting in the textbook being used by

students often.

Frequently used by students. Students using open textbooks were able to have full

access at all times. Reading the textbook on their devices such as their laptop, tablets, and

phones, therefore it's easier to use. Having full online access at all times means it would be easier

to study compared to traditional textbooks. Students are able to study anywhere and anytime,

meaning they don't have to wait to study from their textbooks. Also, when students rent out
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Mini Literature Review

traditional textbooks, they usually aren't able to highlight as they study. However, due to the

textbook being online, they're able to highlight as they go without any penalty. Also, due to the

textbook being online, students are able to keep the book. Meaning it will always be available on

their devices, and they don't have to return their textbooks (Jhangiani & Jhangiani, 2017).

Therefore, students are likely to be ready and prepared for their courses and read from their open

textbook.

Equally or more prepared. Students using open textbooks see more satisfaction and

potentially higher achievements than students reading from traditional textbooks. Students were

more likely to be prepared for the course when having access to open textbooks (Bliss et al.,

2013). Compared to not being prepared when having to pay for traditional textbooks, students

aren't able to focus on their courses. Instead, they have to focus on trying to pay for their

textbook that is most likely required to pay for by their university. Students are able to learn

more efficiently due to the open textbook having a variety of educational resources. Those

educational resources can include learning activities, quizzes, videos, and other class materials

(Frydenberg et al., 2007). This could factor in students' ability to study, work on, complete

classwork, and do well on exams. Including the ability to have open accessibility to students

who're reading the open textbook.

Accessibility. Open textbooks are often easily accessible to students, but they will also

cater to students with disabilities. Therefore, regardless of a student's disability, this could

potentially have a positive impact. Students who have disabilities are often overlooked when it

comes to having access to traditional textbooks. With open textbooks being available online, it

would easily become accommodated for students' needs. Some accommodations for students in

open textbooks would include the enlargement of pictures and text, the ability to search inside
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the book, navigation using the keyboard, and the ability to use audible text (Jung et al., 2017).

This could significantly benefit students with disabilities because they are able to fit their needs,

and have easy access to the textbook. Including, students without disabilities have easy access to

open textbooks. Easy access means having the ability to being able to download the pdf from the

internet. Also, students can access the open textbook without the internet, if the open textbook is

downloaded. Therefore, the internet isn't completely needed if students have access to open

textbooks. Based on the positive usage from students, they will more likely have better

outcomes.

Outcomes.

Impact. Students have a positive outcome pertaining to when they're using open

textbooks in their courses. This could include improving grades, completing courses, and passing

the classes. Students seem to have a better grade compared to when they use traditional

textbooks. Also, students were often having better academic accomplishments, meaning there

could be many learning outcomes. Such as students withdrawing from courses at a reduced rate,

exam rates being higher, and their GPAs increasing (Hilton, 2016). Also, because the textbook

is online, students can easily transition from traditional textbooks (Hilton, 2016).

Easy Accessibility of open textbook. This could be due to the free cost, and the

accessibility of the textbook being completely digital. Also, the students are able to download the

textbook, meaning they’re able to do assignments or study remotely when there’s no internet.

They are also able to view the different modules, and resources that come with the textbook.

Leading to open textbooks having financial benefits for students. Financial benefits. There are

also many financial benefits to open textbooks that improve students' academic success and

finances. The open textbooks are usually little to no cost, and therefore students don’t have to
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stress about having to pay for the book. Not being able to afford the textbook could have a huge

factor in why a student chooses not to enroll in a course. With a free online textbook, students

don't have to worry about not enrolling in a course with the free textbook. Also, students are able

to use the money towards other resources. Those resources could be towards other academic

needs to succeed as university students.

Overall, there are many different beneficial outcomes of free online textbooks for

students. Therefore, its essential that universities and professors work together to help students

succeed academically and financially. Universities should implement open textbooks into every

program, because of the advantages. Also, because of the disadvantages that traditional

textbooks often have on students. These disadvantages could result it students cause financial

problems, and academic problems. College is already expensive; students would significantly

help student’s outcome in school. Also, because technology is prominent for college students

they would be able to access the information. From using their personal electronic devices, to

using laptops on campus, or borrowing laptops from the library for a certain amount of time.

They could also decide to print out the entire book, in the different libraries on campus, even

though they would have to pay for printing. The cost would still be cheaper than renting or

buying a book from the bookstore or outside sources.

Conclusion

In summary, the adaptation of open textbooks has a huge influence on university students for

many reasons. Based on the COUP framework, open textbooks could greatly benefit students on

achieving academic success. The textbook is free, easily accessible, and the positive outcomes

could significantly influence the reader. Universities must implement open textbooks in their

curriculum to help their students succeed.

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Citations:

Bliss, T. J., Hilton III, J., Wiley, D., & Thanos, K. (2013). The cost and quality of open

textbooks: Perceptions of community college faculty and students.

Frydenberg, J., Matkin, G., & Center, D. L. (2007). Open textbooks: Why? what? how? when.

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, 0-33.

General Accountability Office. (2013). College Textbooks: Students Have Greater Access to

Textbook Information. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/655066.pdf

Hilton, J. (2016). Open educational resources and college textbook choices: A review of research

on efficacy and perceptions. Educational technology research and development, 64(4), 573-590.

Hilton III, J., Bliss, T. J., Robinson, T. J., & Wiley, D. A. (2013). An OER COUP: College

teacher and student perceptions of open educational resources.

Jhangiani, R. S., & Jhangiani, S. (2017). Investigating the perceptions, use, and impact of open

textbooks: A survey of post-secondary students in British Columbia. The International Review of

Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(4).

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Jung, E., Bauer, C., & Heaps, A. (2017). Higher education faculty perceptions of open textbook

adoption. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(4).

Martin, M. T., Belikov, O. M., Hilton, J., Wiley, D., & Fischer, L. (2017). Analysis of student

and faculty perceptions of textbook costs in higher education. Open Praxis, 9(1), 79-91.

Read, K., Tang, H., Dhamija, A., & Bodily, B. (2020). Understanding the impact of OER courses

in relation to student socioeconomic status and employment. International Journal of Open

Educational Resources, 3(1), 47-72.

Senack, E. (2014). Fixing the broken textbook market. US Public Interest Research Group,

Student PIRG.