2026 Open Education Conference

Open educational resources (OERs) are frequently promoted as mechanisms for improving access and equity in higher education, yet comparatively less attention has been paid to how students perceive and engage with OERs when adopted in place of commercial textbooks. This session presents a student‑led research study investigating student perceptions of textbooks and OERs within a large, multi‑degree science unit.

Situated in the space between research and curriculum practice, the study adopts a staged approach to OER adoption in which selected unit themes integrate curated OERs while others retain a traditional prescribed textbook, enabling investigation into student perceptions across different resource contexts.

The session will report findings from survey data and student focus groups, demonstrating how student perceptions of access, engagement, and resource preference can meaningfully inform evidence‑informed OER adoption strategies across disciplines.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Describe how student-led research can meaningfully inform decisions about OER adoption in undergraduate courses.
• Identify key factors shaping student perceptions of textbooks and OERs, including access, engagement, and resource preferences.
• Explain the value of a staged approach to OER adoption for gathering evidence while maintaining curriculum continuity.
• Apply insights from this research design to centre student voice in evidence-informed OER initiatives across disciplines.

Most research into the impact of Open Educational Resources (OER) comes from quantitative studies conducted in North America, leaving stories of OER impact from other geographic contexts underexplored. This session contributes to the Beyond Borders conversation by sharing research from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. The study responds to calls for Australian OER research to contribute to the open movement in new and innovative ways. The project investigates OER impact in the Australian higher education context using podcasting as a qualitative research methodology. Podcasting is an emerging approach to qualitative research that can complement the quantitative evidence base by generating rich narrative data that amplifies participants' own stories. Preliminary findings and emerging themes from fieldwork with Deakin OER authors will be shared, alongside reflection on what this research contributes to the global conversation about OER impact.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Identify gaps in the geographic and methodological scope of OER impact research.
• Recognise the rationale for using podcasting as a qualitative research methodology.
• Recall preliminary findings from an Australian study into OER impact.
• Reflect on the contribution of Australian OER research to the global conversation about OER impact.