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.
