The expense of going to college has risen drastically in the last 20 years. And even if students get scholarships or financial aid to cover tuition, there are still other expenses, like books. Students spend $10 billion annually on textbooks in the United States. Those who cannot afford to buy or rent the books may fall behind in their education. Hard copy books can cost as much as $400, with an average price between $80 and $150. But there’s a growing alternative: open educational resources. These are teaching and learing resources that are openly licensed and freely available on the internet. Teachers can also adapt them for a specific student population and even remix the materials and share them.
