Digitally Established: Educational Resources in U.S. Higher Education, 2023

This report is part of a series of surveys tracking curricula discovery, selection, and adoption processes in U.S. higher education. This series has tracked a considerable shift in higher education from the traditional print textbook towards digital materials. The global COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transition, as faculty, administrators, and institutions scrambled to transition courses and materials to accommodate remote learners. The survey responses for this analysis were collected in April 2023, from a total of 2,483 faculty and 641 administrators. Key findings include: (1) Faculty are most commonly using digital tools to replace print tools like physical textbooks and homework handouts, but a small number of faculty are also utilizing new tools that have no physical counterpart, such as digital collaboration tools and student progress monitors; (2) Faculty are generally satisfied with the overall quality of their curricula, as 50% gave their curricula a grade of either an A or B; (3) 62% of faculty agree that the cost of course materials is a serious problem for their students; (4) Although reported use of inclusive access programs remains steady, there appears to be confusion around them, as 51% of faculty said they were not aware of these programs, compared to 44% who said they were unaware in 2021-22; and (5) Awareness and use of Open Educational Resources (OER) jumped by seven percentage points compared to the 2021-22 school year, reaching their highest levels seen in the 12 years the survey has been administered.