The Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) has mandated that faculty, starting January 2025, include an itemized cost breakdown of all textbooks and learning materials (required and optional) in their course outlines. The new requirement is intended to create transparency for students with regard to the cost of a course, once they’ve enrolled.
While transparency is helpful with regard to understanding costs and financial planning, the price tag of some commercial textbooks can be jarring for students. It also doesn’t tell the whole story, which includes how libraries and university partners are working to lower the cost of materials. Through open educational resources, electronic resources, ebooks and textbook collections, TMU Library is providing alternatives and options for faculty to create, use, and find course materials that will reduce financial barriers for their students.
Join us and learn more at Open Education Week 2025
Keeping Courses Affordable with Open Educational Resources
Date: Mon. March 3, 2025
Time: 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Location: online
The Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) now requires faculty to include an itemized cost breakdown of all textbooks and learning materials, both required and optional, in their course outlines. Seeing high course fees can be discouraging to students.
One potential solution to keep costs down is through the use of Open Educational Resources (OER). OER are learning, teaching, and research materials that reside in the public domain or are under copyright that have been released under an open licence permitting no-cost access (UNESCO). By using OER textbooks available through eCampus Ontario, faculty have saved students in Ontario over $26 million dollars.
Join the Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries, the Centre for Excellence in Learning & Teaching, and the Chang School to learn how the MCU directive will impact your teaching, and how you can leverage Open Educational Resources to reduce costs and make your courses more appealing to students. We will review how to find, adapt, and create OERs, and hear from a panel of faculty and students about their experience with OERs.
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Affordable course materials and treats!
Date: Tues. March 4, 2025
Time: 1 – 2 p.m.
Location: 2nd floor (main floor), TMU Library
Calling all students! Stop by the main floor of TMU Library on March 4 between 1 – 2 p.m. to learn more about the Library’s electronic and open educational resources that can help you save money!
And grab a cookie…
DROP IN
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Other events happening in Ontario and across Canada:
- Canadian Coalition for Affordable Learning, eCampusOntario: Working together to support accessible and affordable learning
- Events all Month at University of British Columbia
- Events at University of Calgary: Open Education Talks Every Wednesday Throughout March