College of Education Faculty Receive Textbook Affordability Project Awards

Four College of Education faculty members received Textbook Affordability Project (TAP) awards from Temple University Libraries in May 2020. The project helps ease the financial burden of textbooks for students. Awards are given to those who contribute to one, or a combination, of the following opportunities:

• Adopt an open textbook
• Adapt content available through the library to create your own version of a textbook at no cost to students
• Create an open educational resource or open assignments

The 2020 College of Education TAP Awardees shared their thoughts on the importance of textbook affordability in higher education.

Elizabeth Diamond - Associate Professor of Practice, Teaching and Learning 

"You can't really think about college without thinking about textbooks. However, with the availability of content and information that we have digitally, it's time to rethink what a "textbook" looks like. As a professor, I feel that it is important to ensure students have access to available resources and materials to be successful in the course and their major, and that those materials be affordable. This is more important now than it ever has been in our current economic climate. I am very excited to have been selected for and to participate in the Textbook Affordability Project, and to be able to provide an alternative to my students."

Amy Lewis - Adjunct, General Education 

"I believe textbook affordability is paramount. For many students, just scrounging up the money to even take a class in the first place is a major sacrifice and hardship. Unlike when I went to college, there is a world of free, top-notch Open Educational Resources (OER) out there that are accessible to all and easy to use. I will use OER to eliminate textbook costs entirely. A bonus for me is OER gives me more flexibility and say over which content is included in my course, so not only do I get to help students avoid a major hurdle in getting their degrees, but I also get to offer them more tailored material to meet the course learning outcomes. It's definitely a win-win!"

Joseph Paris - Assistant Professor of Instruction, Policy, Organizational & Leadership Studies 

"While much attention has been paid to rising tuition costs, the costs of textbooks and other course materials are often overlooked. Through my Textbook Affordability Project, I strive to model the way by demonstrating to my students how institutions can help control the costs of college so that they can champion similar cost-reducing efforts at their respective institutions and organizations."

Diana Wildermuth - Associate Professor of Practice, Psychological Studies in Education

"By modeling how to creatively adopt free or affordable books, using person-centered language articles and books, while also addressing diverse populations, my students will be even more prepared to enter the field. I will be providing my students with the skills to continue social justice advocacy in their practice as future school counselors."

TAP was launched by the Temple University Teaching, Learning & Technology Roundtable and Associate University Librarian, Steven Bell, in 2011. Since then, the project has granted awards to more than 85 faculty and saved students more than one million dollars.

In addition to TAP, Temple educators are encouraged to replace costly educational resources with materials available through Temple Libraries or open educational resources that are publicly accessible and freely available for anyone to use.