Creating an Affordable Course
Course affordability matters for student success, and the evidence proves it.
In 2026 the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) declared open educational resources (OER), openly-licensed digital materials available at free or minimal cost, a new high-impact practice (AAC&U, 2026; Watson et al., 2026). The data were compelling; a mixed-methods analysis of over 700,000 student records from 15 institutions, surveys, and focus group findings showed that OER led to positive student outcomes and supported course affordability. Students in OER courses had lower withdrawal rates, higher achievement, and more timely graduation rates.
Previous studies corroborate the findings of the AAC&U. A meta-analysis conducted by Cho and Permzadian (2024) found that courses integrating OER had higher completion rates and course grades. The institution type, course type, or instructor did not have a significant impact. The authors concluded that OER was a scalable way to make higher education more accessible for students and positively impact students’ success.
Using open materials can do more than reduce course costs. Because OER can be adapted and updated, instructors can incorporate more current information, real-world examples, and a greater diversity of voices and perspectives than may be represented in a traditional textbook.
Open approaches can also support learner-centered teaching by giving students opportunities to create, adapt, evaluate, or contribute to course content. This can make courses not only more affordable, but also more responsive, inclusive, and resonant to students’ learning and life experiences.
The purpose of this guide is to provide guidance and resources to instructors at Rutgers for making their courses more affordable, support course access and reduce student debt, reducing barriers to learning whether through OER or other measures.
References
AAC&U. (June 22, 2026). Open Educational Resources: A New High Impact Practice. https://www.aacu.org/research/open-education-resources-a-new-high-impact-practice
Cho, K. W., & Permzadian, V. (2024). The impact of open educational resources on student achievement: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Educational Research, 126, 102365. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0883035524000521
Todorinova L., & Wilkinson Z.T. (2019). Closing the loop: Students, academic libraries, and textbook affordability. The Journal of Academic Librarianship. 2019;45(3):268-277. doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2019.03.010
Watson, C. E., Miceli, H., Perkins, B. A., Chittum, J. R., & Schneider, H. (2026). Open educational resources: A new high-impact practice. American Association of Colleges & Universities.