Orange County, CA, Feb. 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coastline College an innovative leader in higher education is deeply committed to academic excellence and student success. The college has been creating and implementing zero-cost course materials designed for students completing Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees and planning to transfer to a four-year university through the use of Open Educational Resources (OER).
Open educational resources in the public domain are unrestricted licensed text, media, and other digital assets used for teaching, research, and other materials that allows free use and accessibility. With the advancement of the internet, this method to adapt and share curricular open educational resources has resulted in cost savings for students as well as benefited student retention and completion. Students can learn course curriculum tailored and developed by their instructors for free online. The national average for a textbook is $153. Over the course of a year, the average college student spends more than $1200 on books and materials, so students participating in zero-cost course material save thousands of dollars.
Through the dedication of Coastline’s outstanding student-centered team of faculty, staff, and administration, the college is continuing to expand zero-cost course open educational resources offerings designed for students planning to transfer to the California State University (CSU) system. Students must complete general education course requirements in English, Science, Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences for this CSU transfer pathway. The number of Coastline sections using zero-cost course materials has increased annually by 60%, from Spring '19 to Spring '20 allowing students to complete all areas without purchasing a textbook.
"Coastline's offering a zero-cost CSU transfer option is a testament to the commitment of our instructors, who have spent years working toward this goal. In addition to saving students money, zero-cost courses have been shown to improve retention and completion rates. Our next goal is to offer a zero-cost major." Scott Davis, Faculty Leader/Coordinator, Coastline College, who developed Coastline’s first OER.
Coastline offers a wealth of programs including AA degrees and flexible course pathways and transfer programs for students to move on to a 4-year college or university as well as professional training and certification programs that facilitate students to become career-ready to enter California’s competitive workforce. Coastline College’s low tuition makes it one of the most economical options in California and is one of the least-expensive schools for local students as well as being one of the top-performing community colleges out of 115 California community colleges.
About Coastline College:
Coastline College steadfastly focuses on providing access and supporting student success and achievement. Inspired by an innovative and student-centered mindset, Coastline delivers flexible courses and services that cultivate and guide diverse student populations across the globe to complete pathways leading to the attainment of associate degrees, certificates, career readiness, and transfer to four-year colleges/universities. Coastline is a recognized leader in the design, development, and use of innovative technology-based teaching and learning practices, processes, and systems for anytime-anywhere learning to achieve and sustain outstanding student success.