Open Educational Resources (OER)

What is ZTC?

Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) is an attribute in the Timetable that denotes course sections with no cost to access required course resources; it was first introduced in the 2021-2022 Timetable. In addition to lecture sections, this attribute is also applied to labs, clinicals, and seminars with no required resources.

The ZTC attribute enables students to make informed choices regarding textbook costs during the course registration process.

The most important feature of ZTC is there is no cost for students to access the required course resources. 

What is it not?

The ZTC attribute is distinct from the “No Materials Required” indicator used by the Campus Store and does not replace the textbook adoption process. The ZTC attribute has no relationship to Follet’s processes and does not remove or replace our contractual textbook reporting requirements.

Mark your Course Section as ZTC

Before Timetable Publication

The ideal time to mark your course as ZTC is prior to the publication of the Timetable (mid-April). At this time, you may be asked to identify which of your course section(s) can be marked as ZTC. This information can be communicated to your School's designated Program Assistant.

After Timetable Publication

Faculty who wish to add the ZTC attribute after Timetable publication should contact their Program Assistant, who will communicate this to the Scheduling Office on their behalf.

After the Timetable is published and viewable to students, this attribute should not be removed. Students may make decisions about enrollment based on the ZTC attribute, and it is unfair to these students if the ZTC attribute is removed after they have already enrolled.

For more information, please see:
ABCs of ZTC: Zero Textbook Cost - A Quick Guide

Is my course section ZTC?

Courses with no cost associated with required course resources are considered ZTC. Required course resources may include: 

• Textbooks and other printed materials (such as novels)
• Digital books
• Learning platforms, homework systems

Courses marked as ZTC may still include a cost for technology and supplies. Technology and supplies may include:

• Lab safety gear
• Art supplies
• Required calculators and other technology

ZTC-Friendly Resources

ZTC course resources may be comprised of any combination of free-to-student resources, such as:

• Library-licensed materials (ebooks, articles, streaming videos)
• Open Access publications
• Public domain works
• Open Educational Resources (OER)
• Publicly available materials

What are the benefits of adding ZTC to the Timetable?

The ZTC attribute allows Red Deer Polytechnic to leverage existing courses and encourage the creation of additional courses with zero textbook cost.

• Student enrollment. According to the University of Alberta’s Students’ Union (UASU) recent student surveys, 15.7% of students have selected courses purely based on textbook costs, and 94% of students have taken measures to avoid textbook costs. The addition of a ZTC attribute improves student enrollment by showcasing the reduced costs associated with ZTC courses.
• Student retention. Approximately 11% of the price of an undergraduate degree is textbook costs (Stats Can, 2019; Maclean’s, 2018); this cost is disproportionately felt by first-year students, possibly leading to a reduced retention rate. Dropped courses can have a direct bearing on tuition, and even a modest reduction in dropped courses could make a noticeable difference in revenue.
• Faculty recognition. Many ZTC courses are currently offered at Red Deer Polytechnic, but there is no formal recognition or designation for these courses.
• Equality. The cost of course materials disproportionately impacts low-income students. Additionally, a pandemic-time study conducted by Statistics Canada found that 48% of students with a job reported either losing their job or being temporarily laid off. Through the creation of a ZTC attribute, Red Deer Polytechnic can leverage affordable learning resources and solutions during a time of financial hardship while simultaneously promoting equitable access to course content and providing better outcomes within courses for students.

Course Resources and ZTC Student Survey

The Course Resources and Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) survey sought to assess average textbook costs in Fall 2022, students’ use and perceptions of the ZTC attribute in the 2022-2023 Timetable, and the overall impact of textbook costs on RDP students.

In September 2022, this survey was distributed to 3880 credit students at Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP). 923 responses were received (23.8% response rate). Due to the large sample size and even distribution of participants across RDP programs and departments, these responses can be considered representative of the credit student population.

The survey results illustrate the high cost of course resources across credit programs at RDP. For RDP students, these high costs have required them to seek financial aid, work additional hours, miss paying other bills, and skip meals. This survey data shows that RDP students are reluctantly making difficult decisions between prioritizing living expenses, such as groceries and rent, and their ability to learn and participate in their courses.

Full Report