UTSA DOERS Findings Mapped to OER Task Force Goals

The DOERS Collaborative awarded UTSA the Student Success Through OER Grant in 2023. This website aligns DOERS work with the OER Task Force.

Goal: Create Procedures for Marking OER and Low-Cost Textbook Courses

DOERS Student Survey Findings: Course Markings

Area

Finding

Significance

Future Work
Where Students Look to Find Course Textbooks

30%:  Bluebook/Simple Syllabus; 27%: Wait for the first class day; 14%: Class schedules; 13%: myUTSA; 13%: Bookstore; 2%: look somewhere else

 Knowing where students look for required textbooks is helpful for improving visibility of textbook filters.  Increase textbook and OER visibility in Simple Syllabus, the Class Schedules, myUTSA, and the bookstore.
Student Definition of "Low-Cost" 

36%: $26-50; 34%: $1-25; 12%: $51-75;    12%: $0; 5%: Another amount

 UTSA implemented the Low-Cost Textbook filter in 2018. $40 is the threshold and was set by conversations with SGA. The intent of this question was to reach more students and adjust the threshold based on their responses. The current $40 low-cost threshold meets most student respondents' definition of "low-cost"
Student Familiarity with the term OER or Open Educational Resources

85% not familiar; 15%: familiar

 Limited implications: the filters are labeled Free Textbook and Low-Cost Textbook.   Explore whether Free Textbook and Low-Cost textbook are meaningful labels for the textbook filters. 
Student Ease of finding Free Textbook and Low-Cost Textbook Courses

78% of student respondents find it somewhat or very easy to locate free or low-cost textbook courses at UTSA; 9% report difficulty.

 Filters that are easy to find are more likely to be used. While students report finding free texbook courses as easy, they were shown the steps just priror to answering the question. Note above that 94% of students were not aware of the filters prior to the survey. Many students provided feedback for improvement.  Streamline finding and improve visibility and promotion
Student Awareness of Textbook Filters 94% of student respondents were unaware how to find UTSA courses with free and low-cost textbooks If students are not able to find these courses, UTSA is not doing all that it can to support college affordability, student success, and retention. Studies have shown that courses that adopt OER and no-cost educational resources have higher student success rates.  Streamline finding and improve visibility and promotion
Student Course Markings Promotion Preferences

Of the 859 student ideas for advertise/promote: 360 want the filters promoted more widely overall (no specific suggestions); 155 want emails/notifications during  registration; 121 want multiple modes; 79 want sharing by word-of-mouth (advising, orientation, AIS courses); 30 want social media sharing; 17 want pop-up windows on specific platforms; 17 want flyers/posters; 13 want the information added to specific websites; 16 Other; 16 unable to determine

 Students want better promotion of the filters.  Improve visibility and promotion of the filters. 
Textbook Filter Visibility for Students 612 suggestions to improve visibility: 442 mentioned ASAP, 67 did not mention a specific website/platform; 26 mentioned multiple websites/platforms; 18 mentioned Canvas; 15 mentioned Simple Syllabus; 14 mentioned myUTSA;; 2 mentioned the bookstore website/Follet Discover; 3 mentioned DegreeWorks; 1 mentioned OneStop  Students have requested changes to ASAP and several UTSA platforms . Improve textbook filter visibility.

DOERS Faculty Survey Findings: Course Markings

Area

Finding

Significance

Future Work
Faculty Awareness of OER Legislation

75% of faculty respondents are unaware of OER legislation.  

 Faculty that are not aware won't report OER adoptions, creating transparency and administrative reporting issues. Improve communication and outreach to faculty about course markings.
Faculty Awareness of UTSA Textbook Filters

68% of faculty respondents are unaware of UTSA’s textbook filters.

 Faculty that are not aware won't report OER adoptions, creating transparency and administrative reporting issues. Improve communication and outreach to faculty about course markings.
Faculty Awareness of UTSA OER Reporting Process 80% of faculty are not aware of UTSA's OER reporting process. Faculty that are not aware won't report OER adoptions, creating transparency and administrative reporting issues. Improve communication and outreach to faculty about course markings.

DOERS Faculty Focus Group Findings: Course Markings

Area

Finding

Significance

Future Work

Faculty Awareness of OER Legislation
Faculty

Faculty Awareness of UTSA Textbook Filters


Faculty Awareness of UTSA OER Reporting 

 Most of the faculty that participated in the Focus Groups were not aware of the legislation, the filters, or the reporting process. Faculty that are not aware won't report OER adoptions, creating transparency and administrative reporting issues. Improve communication and outreach to faculty about course markings.

Subcommittee(s)

Implementation Committee(s)/Plan(s)
Course Markings

Centralize and Simplify OER/Low-Cost Reporting and Increase OER Visibility for Students

 

Finding Required Textbooks

Defining Low Cost

OER Awareness

Ease of Finding OER Courses

 

Awareness of OER Courses 

Improving Course Marking

Promoting/Advertising Filters

Improving Visibility

 

Course Marking Awareness and Use

Legislation

A significant majority of respondents (75%) are unaware of Texas SB 810, highlighting a need for increased communication and education about OER-related policy requirements.

  • 75% (44) were not aware of OER legislation
  • 25% (15) were aware of OER legislation

UTSA Filters

A majority (68%) of respondents are unaware of UTSA’s textbook affordability filters, suggesting a need for improved communication and outreach about these student support tools.

  • 68% (40) were not aware
  • 32% (19) were aware

 

UTSA Reporting

Most respondents are unaware of UTSA’s textbook affordability filters, indicating a need for better communication and outreach to faculty. 

  • 80% (47) were not aware
  • 20% (12) were aware

Awareness of Textbook Filters and OER Reporting Processes

  • Architecture

    • Most faculty were not aware of UTSA’s Free Textbook and Low-Cost Textbook filters.
    • Only two faculty members were aware of the OER reporting process; others were not.

  • Earth and Planetary Science

    • One faculty member was aware of the textbook filters; two were not.
    • Awareness of the reporting process was similarly low.
    • Feedback: Suggested integrating reporting links and forms into Canvas for better accessibility and visibility, as emails are often missed.

  • Management Science and Statistics

    • Two out of three faculty were not aware of the textbook filters.
    • Two out of three faculty were not aware of the reporting process.

  • Sociology

    • One of four faculty was aware of the textbook filters; others were not.
    • Mixed familiarity with the reporting process.
    • Feedback: Reporting process is not overly cumbersome but could be streamlined.
    • Highlighted need for better communication and outreach to ensure faculty know how to report OER use.

Themes: Improving Student Awareness of Textbooks Prior to Class Day One

  • Early Communication: Faculty emails and announcements are critical.
  • Tools: Canvas and Simple Syllabus are useful but need consistent, early use.
  • Challenges: Student delays, cost concerns, and lack of familiarity with university systems.
  • Recommendations: Mandatory early syllabus publication, improved orientation for freshmen, and better integration of textbook info into Canvas.

Faculty Suggestions to Improve Student Awareness of Required 

Architecture
  • Strategies Used by Faculty:
    • Announcements sent two weeks and one week before semester start with textbook details and purchase links.
    • Detailed email sent day before class to prompt timely ordering.
    • Embedding textbook info in Canvas and using Simple Syllabus for book covers and library links.
  • Challenges:
    • Students often delay purchasing textbooks.
    • Some faculty avoid requiring textbooks due to cost concerns.
    • Canvas design impacts visibility, especially in asynchronous courses.
Earth and Planetary Science
  • Observation:
    • Freshmen often struggle with Canvas and syllabus navigation due to limited orientation.
    • Suggestion: Analyze survey data by student classification to see if upperclassmen navigate resources better.
Management Science and Statistics
  • Suggestions:
    • Make Simple Syllabus publication mandatory at least one week before semester start, even if incomplete.
    • Previously used Bluebook for early syllabus access—now discontinued.
    • Early publication of textbook info would benefit students.
    • Simple Syllabus allows updates anytime, offering flexibility.

Sociology

  • Suggestions:
    • Direct communication from faculty is most effective.
    • Faculty already email syllabi or textbook info before semester begins.