Metropolitan State University of Denver’s course-marking initiative helps students identify courses that are no-cost or low-cost (less than $40) for materials at the time of registration. Faculty members with one or more future courses meeting these designations are asked to fill out the Summer 2023 Course Marking Survey or Fall 2023 Course Marking Survey for upcoming courses they are scheduled to teach. Most faculty members complete the survey in about three minutes.
It asks for the Course Registration Number and/or section number for the courses and, if applicable, for a link to any primary Open Educational Resources used. Faculty members are encouraged to add summer-course information by Feb. 24 and fall-course information by March 17, if possible, so attributes can be added before students begin enrolling. However, course-marking surveys can still be filled out later if needed.
Why it matters
Studies have shown that some students take fewer courses per semester when there is a high cost for materials. A fall 2021 survey of over 600 MSU Denver students reported 19% taking fewer courses in a semester due to course-material costs. Students can search for courses with no cost or low cost for material attributes in the class scheduler; students and faculty members can see the attributes when searching classes in the class schedule.
Workshop and $200 stipend opportunity
One way to make courses no-cost for students is to adopt Open Educational Resources. A workshop introducing faculty members to open textbooks will take place March 7 from 10-11:30 a.m. in Auraria Library Room 116. Faculty members who complete the workshop and review an open textbook will receive a $200 stipend. Sign up here.
Please contact Emily Ragan, Ph.D., professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and chair of the OER Taskforce, with questions.