Exploring the Impact of a Campus-wide Free Textbook Initiative on Students and Faculty

COVID-19, along with disrupting institutions worldwide, laid bare systemic inequities in higher education. To begin addressing one facet of this inequity, a liberal arts institution in the central Appalachian region of the United States transitioned all courses to cost-free resources between spring and fall 2020. Being a comprehensive initiative, this involved all courses in the bachelor's and master's programs including performance and lab-based classes. To assess the impact of this initiative, two separate research studies were completed. The first was quantitative and aimed at determining students' impression of how moving to free texts would impact their engagement with the material as well as their performance in classes. The second study was qualitative, involving interviews with faculty regarding how the move away from paid publisher content impacted them. This session will present results from both studies as a comparison of experiences. Attendees will have an opportunity to discuss what technical and non-technical issues may arise if similar initiatives are being contemplated at their own campus. Session participants will also be able to share their own experiences, creating an environment where those in attendance will be able to consider proactive approaches to fostering success in rapid curricular change.