Zero textbook costs with NOVA Online Digital Open courses

NOVA’s OER-Based Associate Degree Project is a comprehensive approach to addressing concerns over access, affordability and student success. The Extended Learning Institute (NOVA Online) offers nearly 40 courses that do not require students to purchase textbooks. Instead these courses, designated as Digital Open sections, use free open educational resources (OER) and library materials. NOVA students can earn a General Studies Certificate, or full Associate Degree, without having to purchase textbooks.

We developed our OER-Based Associate Degree Project to be delivered online, so that any student at any NOVA campus could have the opportunity to take these courses. Building digital content and resources into an online course helps to better engage the learner and is more conducive to learning online. This leads to better knowledge retention, better course outcomes, improved information literacy skills, and preparation to function more effectively in technology adapted careers.

We have seen immediate benefits of the OER-Based Associate Degree project, measuring cost-savings to students in excess of $800,000. And because every student in a Digital Open course section has access to all required course materials from day one, more students are able to successfully complete course requirements. Digital Open course sections offered at NOVA Online are identified in the online schedule of classes so that students can find which sections use free digital and open content, with no textbook purchase required.

Click the playlist in the upper right corner of the video, and view – NOVA’s OER-Based Associate Degree Project.