Western’s Outdoor MBA, Business Law programs win grants to adopt digital textbooks

“It is about reimagining and revitalizing our curriculum to make it more relevant, engaging, and inclusive.”

The days of overpriced textbooks may be numbered, as two Western Colorado University programs are testing the waters to see if free, digital textbooks might bring about a paperless paradigm shift.

Western’s Jen DeBoer, director of the Outdoor Industry MBA (OIMBA) program, and Assistant Professor of Business Administration – Business Law CJ Clugston recently received state grants worth $28,000 and $9,000, respectively, to help students move away from the old textbook model toward a more sustainable digital textbook future.

However, the change is more than a way to make the Outdoor Industry MBA and Business Law minor at Western more sustainable. It will also make both programs more affordable and accessible to students and allow publishers and authors to update the texts more easily, ensuring that every student has the very latest information available.

“This initiative not only enhances the quality and relevance of our course materials but also ensures that they are easily accessible to our students, regardless of their background or location,” DeBoer said. “By integrating DEIJ+ into our [Open Educational Resources], we anticipate fostering a more inclusive and representative educational experience, which is crucial for preparing future leaders.”

The initial round of grant money will be disbursed in May and used to acquire the digital textbooks for three business law courses and eight courses within the OIMBA curriculum, which offers students a product track or service track, depending on where they hope to take their careers. Over two years, product track students will each save $381, while service track students will each save $511.

Students pursuing a certificate instead of completing the requirements for a full MBA who take three courses per year will see annual savings of approximately $204 each. Over two years, those savings add up for the program’s 50 full-time MBA students and 10 part-time certificate students to about $24,340.

Over the summer of 2024, OIMBA faculty will integrate digital textbooks into the curriculum for five courses before implementing those changes in the fall. After gathering feedback and assessing the rollout’s reception, the program’s faculty will integrate digital textbooks for the remaining three courses at the beginning of 2025.

Eventually, both the Business Law and OIMBA programs will replace all of their traditional textbooks with digital versions so students can complete their degrees with zero textbook costs, which is known among educators as a z-degree.

“By the end of 2026, our goal is to fully establish the Outdoor Industry MBA as a z-degree program. This initiative is not just about cost savings; it is about reimagining and revitalizing our curriculum to make it more relevant, engaging, and inclusive,” DeBoer said. “The OERs developed will serve as a valuable resource for similar programs worldwide, fostering a culture of sharing and collaboration in higher education.”

Visit Western’s Business Law or Outdoor Industry MBA program pages for more information about the innovative work being done to make a college education more affordable and accessible.

 

Author Credit: Seth Mensing

Photo Credit: Courtesy