Aims Community College Receives Grant to Develop a Z-Degree, Expands Open Educational Materials

Open Educational Resources are teaching and learning materials that are free to use, adapt and share, such as online textbooks, multimedia content, and course materials. Aims faculty is redesigning existing courses to incorporate OER. The grant funding provides instructors additional time and resources to develop, research, curate and cultivate these resources. 

"We are committed to removing obstacles to education while embracing innovative instructional approaches,” said Dr. Leah L. Bornstein, Aims Community College CEO and President. “OER allows us to create engaging, inclusive, and future-focused experiences for our learners.”

OER assists instructors in customizing course materials. An instructor can incorporate different chapters from multiple open-source resources rather than relying on publisher textbooks. This adaptability enhances course content and provides more instructional freedom. “I like not being so attached to a textbook,” said Doug Strauss, Program Director of the Aims Learning Commons, who also teaches psychology at Aims. “OER gives faculty greater freedom to tailor course materials while maintaining academic integrity.”

Z-Degree in Development 

The grant fosters the development of a zero textbook-cost degree, also called a Z-Degree. This means that Aims students enrolled in the Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts program can complete an entire degree without purchasing traditional textbooks. The degree is intended for students with plans to transfer to a four-year university. Students in other pathways will also benefit from increased general education courses that entirely use OER materials. 

Aims estimates that its OER initiatives have saved students around $2.5 million since its official implementation in 2018. This significant financial relief removes a major barrier to education. “Removing textbook costs and using innovative teaching methods means more students can succeed without barriers," said John W. Haefeli, Aims Board of Trustees member.

In addition to the cost savings for students, OER materials set students on an equitable playing field. “With traditional textbooks, students might experience delays due to bookstore shortages or affordability issues,” Strauss explained. “With OER, students can access digital materials at no cost on day one, which can directly impact their success.”

Open Education Week: March 3-7, 2025

Open Education Week is a global event to celebrate open and accessible education.  Aims presented events during the week to raise awareness about OER and its benefits. This included student engagement activities, trivia contests, and discussions about textbook affordability. One interactive feature encouraged students to reflect on how they would use the money saved by not purchasing textbooks, with responses compiled into a word cloud for display.

To learn more about the Aims Free-to-Student initiative, visit aims.co/free-textbooks.