I found this weeks readings to be very compelling, and I specifically want to draw on portions of Mays (2017), and Kral and Schwabâs (2012) articles.
In the Mays (2017) readings, I found the concept of Open Pedagogy to be very intriguing, and I really appreciated their thorough description of what OERâs were. Thinking about my personal cost during university and how it has transformed over time, I thought back to my cost for textbooks at the beginning of my university experience to the end. My very first Semester at VIU I spent over $500 buying required textbooks for first year, completing 6 courses throughout the entire academic year. These courses were 100 level in a range of subjects. This last semester of online university at UVIC, where I took 5 upper level courses within the summer semester, I spent $0 on textbooks and required materials. This drastic change in cost was because of the use of OERâs in every single one of my online classes taken at UVIC. The majority of my materials were accessed through open Journals or through streaming videos on Youtube. Now that I am heading into a post bachelor program, I am on the hook for $750 dollars to buy required textbooks and materials. My question is if these materials and textbooks would still be required if VIU were to shutdown for another semester because of COVID? Were professors only using OERâs because we were all working remotely and strictly online? I wish there was a way for students to have the option to buy materials and textbooks if they wanted when learning in higher education, but that professors made the materials accessible online through the use of OERâs for those who do not have the funds to buy such expensive materials. I know that OER’s for textbook costs only made up a small portion of the article, but it is something that I related to personally and wished to focus on specifically in my discussion.Â
I then make the connection to Kral and Schwabâs (2012) article, where they discuss the lack of access Aboriginal children have to technology and other online resources outside of school. Throughout my academic career, I have had time to work in low-income schools through shadowing, before and after school care programs, as well as summer camps. I have seen first hand the struggles that children, and especially Indigenous children, have had trying to access technology outside of their school, and the frustration and embarrassment that comes with not being able to access materials made only accessible online and outside of school time. As a future teacher, I want to ensure that every student has the opportunity to engage with technology in a way that encourages their learning, not depletes them and makes them feel self-conscious. Taking the time to do technology based homework during class time, either through the use of a computer lab, through I-pad use, or as a group project through a white board projector, I can ensure that no student feels discouraged or is left unable to complete an assignment due to the lack of access to technology. These are simple tools that teachers can use to allow for a more equal and stress-free environment within their classroom. Working with your students to encourage learning rather than against them, especially when using something such as technology that is not accessible to everyone, can facilitate a more healthy and respectful environment.
Kral, I. & Schwab, R.G. (2012). Chapter 4: Design Principles for Indigenous Learning Spaces. Safe Learning Spaces. Youth, Literacy and New Media in Remote Indigenous Australia. ANU Press. http://doi.org/10.22459/LS.08.2012
Mays, E. (Ed.). (2017). A guide to making open textbooks with students. Rebus Community.
August 17, 2021 at 9:54 pm
Hi Jordyn,
You bring up an excellent point about the affordability of the textbooks we must pay. I barely spent a dime on mine this past year as well, compared to my first year! I hope in the future that professors do take pricing issues into consideration. Your proposal reminds me of a fun piano class elective I took last spring. My professor gave students the option of buying the textbook ourselves, or using the free pdfs that she photocopied and uploaded onto Brightspace for the students who could not afford to pay for their own copy. (I donât exactly remember how she worked around copyright but she made it work somehow). This would be great if classes would be like this!
As schools implement more technology into their teaching systems, you are absolutely right in why it is so important that we make sure we create an equitable learning environment. I believe your keen perceptiveness, caring personality, and determination to support all types of students will definitely make you a great teacher. Thank you for the great post!
August 18, 2021 at 9:50 am
Hi Jordyn,
I like how you used the Mays reading to reflect on your own experience buying textbooks at Uvic and VIU. From this reading, this quote stuck out to me âOERs invite faculty to play a direct role in making higher education more accessible. And they invite faculty to ask questions about how we can impact access in ways that go beyond textbook costsâ (Mays, 2017).
I was pretty surprised to learn that 54% of BC students cannot afford to buy at least one of their course textbooks. I mentioned in my own post that ârequired textbooksâ felt like a bit of a stretch because every year I feel compelled to purchase books although I barely use them. I mentioned that this compulsory feeling to purchase books out of fear that I would be unsuccessful without them may be based on what Mays said about how âwe more readily attribute their inability to complete assigned readings to laziness and entitlement than to unaffordabilityâ (Mays, 2017).
I also like what you said about taking time to do technology-based work in the classroom. I feel like students who do not have the same access to technology outside of school feel further marginalized from their peers, so itâs important to give equal access to technology during class time.
Great topic 3 post!
August 19, 2021 at 6:31 pm
Hi, Jordyn
You spoke on an important issue of equity in your reflection. I agree that as a future educator, it is important to be cognizant of your students’ individual struggles and successes. In a bid to being equitable, I support the use of OER’s over traditional textbooks when possible. I also experienced a drop in textbook costs as I approached my senior year. A lot of textbooks I used at the start of my degree were either written or contributed to by the instructors. As it were, there was not much academic benefit compared to open materials that I could access for free on the internet.
In my reflection, I noted the use of open resources that followed the principle of the 5 r’s: reusable, retainable, redistributable, revisable, and remixable.
These open resources are transformational because you get to actively learn and contribute to them.
August 19, 2021 at 11:51 pm
Hi Jordyn,
I had a similar experience to yourâs when I was buying textbooks. In my first year at UVic, classes were in person and I spent a lot of money buying the ârequiredâ textbooks for my classes, most of which I didnât need for the course. In my second year at UVic, classes transitioned to online because of the pandemic, and most of my professors transferred their teaching to open pedagogy with OERâs as the reading materials for their courses. I really enjoyed only having to pay for a couple of textbooks this past school year. It has certainly saved me a lot of money on purchasing textbooks that I donât end up using.
It is interesting to hear that now that classes are heading back to in-person, you have to buy textbooks again and that your professors have moved away from using OERâs. When I began learning online, I never equated my declining number of textbook purchases with classes being held online. It seemed like utilizing OERâs was such a positive step toward increasing access and equity. I donât understand why they would regress to using textbooks again.