OER - Open Educational Resources: Research
This guide is designed to help PCC faculty find, create and incorporate open educational resources for classes.
Local OER Data
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Estimated 2021 - 2023 Student Savings in No-Cost/Low-Cost CoursesStatewide data on student savings from OER from 2021 - 2023.
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Estimated OER Savings at PCCTotal estimated student savings from low-cost and no-cost materials, 2014-2025, plus other PCC-specific OER data.
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Four years and falling: Impact of statewide funding for textbook affordabilityReport from Open Oregon on student costs and OER adoption in Oregon Community Colleges.
OER Links
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OER Research HubThis organization, based at London's Open University, researches several aspects of OER, including student performance, retention, impact on teaching, and assessment.
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Open Textbooks Guide - Student PIRGsA major campaign by the Student PIRGs to highlight the advantages of OER to students.
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Inclusive AccessAdvocacy group raising awareness of Inclusive Access: a model where the cost of textbooks or materials is included in tuition and fees, not on top of them.
OER Research
Given the recent interest in open educational resources, the research landscape in this field is constantly changing. We've compiled a short selective list of articles covering a variety of OER-related topics. Suggestions for research articles to highlight are welcomed.
Articles have been divided into categories: impact and Cost Savings, Student and Faculty Perceptions of OER, and OER in STEM classes.
Impact and Cost Savings
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Assessment of a Textbook Affordability Initiative: A Framework for Measuring the Impact on Student Enrollment and Retention OutcomesThe Journal of Academic Librarianship, 2025
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The Impact of Open Educational Resources on Student Achievement: A Meta-AnalysisInternational Journal of Educational Research, 2024
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No-Cost/Low-Cost and OER Impact on Time-to-Credential An Event History Modeling StudyJournal of Open Educational Resources in Higher Education, 2025.
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OER at Scale: The Academic and Economic Outcomes of the OER Degree InitiativeSRI Education, 2020
Student and Instructor Perceptions of OER
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Faculty Perceptions and Usage of OER at Oregon Community CollegesCommunity College Journal of Research and Practice, 2020
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Open in Higher Education: Student Experiences and Perceptions of OERJournal of Open Educational Resources in Higher Education, 2025
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Why Are We Still Asking Students to Buy Textbooks for General Education? A Rationale for Open Educational Resources (OER) in GenEdJournal of Open Education in Higher Education, 2025.
OER in Specific Disciplines
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Beyond Cost Savings: The Impact of Open Textbooks on Writing Studies Course GradesEvidence Based Library and Information Practice, 2024.
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Impact of Open Educational Resources on Student Performance in an Introductory Geography CourseJournal of Geography in Higher Education, 2024
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Open Educational Resources for Supporting Engineering EducationAmerican Society for Engineering Education, 2024.