The merits of digital versus paper are one thing, but the cost to students is increasingly on the minds of professors. Some are now developing their own open educational resources (OERs) to ease the financial burden. Tenured philosophy professor Richard Zach says his intro course has 500 students a year. His previous textbook cost about $100. "I just thought it was unconscionable to continue to do that when there are perfectly suitable alternatives that are free for students – and that I can change as I see fit," Zach said.
