“I was so overwhelmed with the cost of tuition, parking and all the unexpected fees that were associated with attending university that by the time it came to purchasing books, I was terrified and wondering how I was going to manage. [Faculty member] was the only Prof whose class didn't require any extra fees for books or online platforms. It was an incredible relief and very, very much appreciated!

- J.D., Faculty of Arts and Humanities

“It meant that my learning was actually meaningful and crafted to the needs of the students in that particular year. We were taught critical thinking in the subject of study, rather than just memorizing a particular way of seeing a particular problem.

I have never had success with textbooks. They are a complete barrier to entry and it allows the professor to ignore the perspectives and learning pace of the students. Thankfully the entire Computer Science program is textbook free (to my knowledge) and honestly its about time that the other programs catch up. In a world where everything can be searched online, it’s critical that stydents are taught how to work with and interpret information that is already at their fingertips.

Textbooks have no place in a modern educational setting. I bet that computer science students have a higher success rate in their transition into the work place thanks to the passion and innovation of our professors.

— M.M., Faculty of Science and Technology

No need to order and pay for expensive textbooks that will sit on my shelves. So easy, quick and cheap!

— C.V., Faculty of Education

It meant that I felt a lot less stressed beginning the semester. It took a huge weight off of me not having to add more costs to my schooling. I felt seen and supported by my professor because of this.

— M.A., Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Offering the course with Open Education Resources means less cost, for me, as a student. Text books can easily cost hundreds of dollars and not having to purchase one for the course saves a lot of money. The books she has chosen in this class, and previous courses I've taken with her, have been of good quality and adequately covered the course material and learning objectives.

— E.M., Faculty of Management

“[My instructor] provided a PDF posted in VIU Learn containing all required readings for our course, free of cost, unless you want to go get it printed into hard copy. This was an intentional move to reduce the costs for students.

What this meant for me, is that yes, I did not have to purchase texts and saved money, but more importantly in some respects, it was already in digital format and ready to download into my reading software; Kurzweil.

I did not have to make requests the the ATB/CAPER/Accessibility services to obtain the files to read the works which can take weeks. I did not have to comb through the internet to locate bits and pieces, or through multiple books to find the selections for reading. I do not have to carry a heavy massive book on my already overburdened back.

So, I think this prof. definitely deserves some props. :)

— B.K., Faculty of Social Sciences

“I was able to afford my rent for October, because you chose an open source textbook. The point that you made, which was economics textbooks haven’t changed since you were in school... made it clear to me that you are still grounded in the student experience. Thank you!

— C.R., Faculty of Management

I have taken multiple courses with [this instructor] to complete my history minor. Not only is he the type of professor to genuinely have the best interest of his students in mind, but he also ensures that all of his classes are ‘textbook-free’. He utilizes articles that can be found using the VIU library, and also includes funny videos for us to watch in class. Having OER resources in this class meant that my peers and I were able to succeed without the added financial pressure of buying textbooks. He makes learning about history fun, affordable, and he makes you feel like you matter in his class.

— S.B., Faculty of Arts and Humanities

It felt like our prof cared for us and understood that every penny & thoughtful gesture helps. I also really appreciated that not only did she limit our student cost, she used her own planning of resources so we gained additional materials for future teaching.

— J.G., Faculty of Education

She is an amazing professor, and I feel so blessed we get to learn from her. She has a wealth of knowledge that she shares with us and you can truly tell she cares about her students. She understand that not only are textbooks costly, but they are also difficult to follow and are boring. She brings so much life to her course, if I become half the teacher she is, I'll be estatic!

— S.S., Faculty of Education