Comparing an open educational resource and a traditional textbook: Learner outcomes and engagement

Abstract

The US Department of Education posits that higher education students' expenditures on course materials and supplies, including texts for language learning classes, were between $1,265 and $1,471 for the 2017–2018 academic year. For many students, the cost of these materials can jeopardize their studies. One potential solution to this issue is to use free educational materials like open educational resources (OERs). However, not all OERs are of the same quality or useful for language learning. Therefore, to explore the affordances of OERs for language learners, this study compares the traditional textbook and the OER web book in terms of the quality and task engagement (TE) at a university in the US Pacific Northwest. The outcomes shed some light on the possible influences of learners' perceived quality of the OER and its relationship with TE and language learning.