University of Houston Libraries is pleased to announce the 2024 recipient cohort of the UH Alternative Textbook Incentive Program (ATIP).

ATIP was created in 2018 as part of the University’s initiative to mitigate the high cost of textbooks for students. Since then, more UH faculty have been empowered to provide an inclusive, accessible educational experience for UH students through open educational resources (OER).

This year, ATIP was expanded to include two award categories. Faculty members applying for the Textbook Affordability category could adopt, adapt, or create OER, or use a combination of freely available or library-licensed resources, to replace required traditional textbook(s) and other high-cost learning materials in a future course.

Instructors applying for the Open Educational Practices category could either create and share an OER learning object (e.g., assignments, quizzes, lecture slides, lesson plans, videos, etc.), or replace a traditional assignment with a renewable assignment, implementing what is commonly called open pedagogy. This new award category supports instructors in creating new open materials that benefit a broader community. In addition, instructors can engage students in co-creating course content that can be openly licensed and shared.

2024 ATIP winners are:

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences:

• Dhanushka Arunasiri Peru Durayalage – ECON 3357: Data Management with Economic Applications (Textbook Affordability)
• Melody Yunzi Li – CHNS 3344: Global Chinese Literature (Open Educational Practices)
• María Elena Soliño – HISP 2373: Spanish Culture and Civilization (Textbook Affordability)

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics:

• Nouhad Rizk – COSC 4337: Data Science II (Textbook Affordability)

College of Education:

• Marédil León, Tairan Qiu, & Velvette Laurence – CUIN 4361: Second Language Methodology (Textbook Affordability) / Resources for Teacher Education and Alternative Certification Program (Open Educational Practices)
• Carrie Cutler – CUIN 6335: Mathematics for Teachers I (Open Educational Practices)
• Bradley Davis – ELCS 6350: The Principalship / ELCS 8310: The Superintendency (Open Educational Practices)

C. T. Bauer College of Business:

• Emese Felvegi – BCIS 1305: Business Computer Applications (Open Educational Practices)

“I’m thrilled that we are able to continue supporting student success by increasing access to learning materials through ATIP,” said Ariana Santiago, head of Open Education Services. “Additionally, instructors are creating engaging learning experiences with open pedagogy in which students are empowered to share their knowledge in the form of an open educational resource (OER).”

Estimated savings for students in the first year of implementing alternative textbooks in these courses is $122,349, benefiting an estimated 3,300 students. Awards were granted based on the number of students impacted, estimated cost savings for students, the type of alternative textbook or open educational practices project, and the feasibility of successful implementation.

“These faculty, in collaboration with the Libraries Open Education Services team, are developing new learning strategies for their students and empowering them through dynamic learning experiences,” said Christina H. Gola, interim dean of UH Libraries. “They are modeling the way for innovations in student success and learning. I am so appreciative of their efforts, and based on past student data, I know that students are also grateful to have the opportunity to engage with open educational resources.”

Learn more about open educational resources at UH.

Special thanks to the members of the 2024 ATIP Review Committee: Natalia Kapacinskas, Minjung Shin, Mingjian Wen, Kate McNally Carter, and Ariana Santiago.