Keywords

Open educational resources, open textbooks, electronic textbooks, Flat World Knowledge, open access, sustainability, Psychology

Abstract

The high cost of textbooks is of concern not only to college students but also to society as a whole. Open textbooks promise the same educational benefits as traditional textbooks; however, their efficacy remains largely untested. We report on one community college's adoption of a free online psychology textbook. During the fall semester, 2011, 690 students used this book. Compared to students using a traditional text in the spring of 2011, students who used the free online textbook scored higher on departmental final exams, had higher GPAs in the class and higher retention rates.

Original Publication Citation

John Hilton III and Carol Laman. "One college's use of an open psychology textbook." Open Learning. 27(3), pp. 265-272. (2012).