In Spring 2021, Annabelle Conroy, a Lecturer in the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs, received the AIM High Impact Individual Award for her remarkable contributions to reduce the cost of course materials for her students through Library-Sourced Materials and Open Educational Resources (OER). This individual impact award was based on the number of course sections taught since the first OER adoption in 2017.
Conroy has taught an impressive 26 course sections using OER. A total of 484 students were enrolled in those sections and potentially saved $52,880. Potential student savings were calculated based on the number of students enrolled in the course sections and the cost of the course textbook which was replaced.
A survey of Conroy’s students revealed that 78% of the respondents had previously not purchased a textbook in college at least once because of cost. Offering free and immediate access to resources has surely supported her students’ performance and experience.