Open Education Myths Busted: Are All OERs Digital?

The Myth: All OERs are digital

When we think of OERs, we often just think of open ebooks that contain text, images and possibly video.

The Reality: OERs can be in many different format types

Most OERs start as digital but can be used in a wide variety of formats on many different devices. This offers users greater flexibility, for example, allowing a student to simultaneously keep a printed copy at home, a mobile version to read on the go, and a browser-based version to read during class.  Introduction to Speech Pathology Practice: Foundational Concepts for Australian First-year Students and Beyond Cook: Explorers of Australia and the Pacific are examples of James Cook University (JCU) authored ebooks that can be downloaded in .PDF and .EPUB formats, making their use less dependent on internet access.

Open in action at JCU

At JCU, educators and students are already seeing the benefits of open resources. An example is recent release, Critical Thinking in Psychology: Dispositions, Cognitive Insights, and Research Skills. This peer-reviewed OER has been designed to support JCU PY1103 students, and in 2025 alone, 363 students could have saved an estimated $43,560 in textbook costs!! JCU Library is proud to have supported this wonderful publication with open education publishing expertise and a small 2024 Textbook Affordability Project grant.

Learn more and/or contact us if you would like to collaborate on OERs or use other methods to reduce prescribed textbook costs for your JCU students.