The San Mateo County Community College Textbook Affordability Solutions Work Group’s (TASW) primary focus is to increase awareness of textbook affordability and support faculty choice through adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or use of ZTC course materials. The TASW supports and facilitates faculty zero textbook cost adoption through scaling ZTC/OER use and implementation across SMCCCD. In doing this, we look to create equitable learning opportunities and increase access to zero cost classes for our diverse student population enrolled at any/all of the three District colleges.
Did You Know?
Because of high course material costs, SMCCCD students:
- 36% enrolled in fewer classes
- 30% did not purchase course material
- 18% Did not register for a course they need
- 17% Dropped a course because [they] could not afford the course materials
- 56% Purchased Course materials elsewhere (off campus)
ZTC & OER materials explained
Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC)
S.B. 1359 states Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) course materials “may include open educational resources, institutionally licensed campus library materials that all students enrolled in the course have access to use, and other properly licensed and adopted materials.”
It also means that students do not incur any costs for purchasing course materials. Zero-cost to the students does not guarantee zero-cost to the institution, i.e. subscription databases, library equipment loans.
To create a ZTC course, instructors might use Open Educational Resources (OER); Open Access, Creative Commons, and public domain materials, along with teacher-created materials and electronic resources owned or licensed by the Campus Libraries.
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Open Educational Resources (OER) are high-quality teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license, such as a Creative Commons license, that permits their free use and repurposing by others, and may include other resources that are legally available and free of cost to students. - Hewlett
Hosted by SMCCCD OER Liaisons & Skyline ZTC TeamSelect no-cost and low-cost course materials for your class
Inability to afford textbooks and course materials is an equity issue and it can be addressed through Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) & Open Educational Resources (OER) adoption.
Ready to learn more about ZTC and OER options? Connect with your campus Library and/or ZTC Team.
