Open educational resources (OER) are gaining momentum in higher education, and students are playing a key role in their creation. In a recent talk, Orandi Harris, a business student at the University of Regina's Hill Levene School of Business, shared how he helped a professor build an open textbook using Pressbooks, a platform that simplifies the creation and publication of free digital textbooks.
Pressbooks allows instructors to write and edit textbooks using a visual editor, then publish them online for students to access at no cost. Harris assisted Associate Professor Jacqui Gagnon in developing her open textbook, demonstrating how students with web development knowledge can accelerate the process and enhance the final product.
“There is opportunity for professors to collaborate with students for further supporting the publication of material,” Harris noted. “If they have the ability, they can learn how to use web development techniques for successfully publishing on Pressbooks.”
The presentation, part of OEWeek2026, highlights the growing trend of student-faculty partnerships in OER initiatives. By contributing technical skills, students not only reduce the burden on faculty but also gain valuable real-world experience. The result: high-quality, freely available course materials that benefit the entire learning community.