16 Course Marking Scholarship
The following annotated bibliography highlights several useful publications that provide additional insight into legislative compliance, systems considerations, and details about the process of implementing an open and affordable course marking initiative.
Price Transparency: State Approaches to OER/No Cost/Low Cost Course Schedule Designators
Chae, Boyoung, Kevin Corcoran, Michael Daly, Ann Fiddler, Jeff Gallant, James Glapa-Grossklag, Amy Hofer, and Michelle Reed. 2019. Price Transparency: State Approaches to OER/No cost/Low cost Course Schedule Designators. Arlington, TX: Mavs Open Press.
Based on a panel presentation at the 16th Annual Open Education Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, in October 2019, this publication describes open and affordable course marking practices at the state and system levels. Each chapter explores the implementation of an initiative, including the impetus for the initiative, challenges, and lessons learned. Chapters cover efforts in seven states with examples from the California Community College and California State University systems; the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system; the University System of Georgia’s Affordable Learning Georgia program; City University of New York; State University of New York; Portland Community College, Mt. Hood Community College, and Treasure Valley Community College in Oregon; University of Texas Arlington; and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges in Washington.
Evaluating Oregon’s open educational resources designation requirement
Freed, Brooke, Amber Friedman, Sarah Lawlis, and Angie Stapleton. 2018. Evaluating Oregon’s Open Educational Resources Designation Requirement. Salem, OR: University of Oregon School of Planning, Public Policy and Management.
Created for Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission, this report evaluates the implementation of House Bill 2871, which required that Oregon’s colleges and universities designate when courses use no-cost and low-cost course materials. The report found that “[o]verall, most students don’t know where to find no-cost and low-cost courses” (Freed et al. 2018, 4). The researchers also identified the following problem areas: (a) Inconsistent language used to mark open and affordable courses makes finding these courses difficult; (b) students would like to see open and affordable courses identified across the institution (not just in the student information system (SIS) and schedule of classes; (c) students learn about open and affordable courses through their instructors but often not early enough to help with making registration decisions; and (d) the high cost of textbooks has negatively affected students academically by changing their behaviors. The study also found that community colleges are leaders in implementing course marking initiatives. The report concludes with recommendations for future research, including simplifying the course marking language, and using a st