Last but not least, OER textbooks, as expected, offer more flexibility for both learners and instructors. As I was examining the content lists of these textbooks and skimming some chapters, I realized that while the content might not vary much from one textbook to another, their organization of the chapters varied to a certain degree. Re-arranging the organization of content to customize for a course is not problem for those using open-access texts as the majority of them have Creative Commons licenses that allow instructors to add, edit, and remix the original works. Along with the $0 price tag, this feature is arguably one of the strongest advantages of adopting OER materials. Because traditional textbooks do not allow for this kind of personalization, the market of commercial textbooks is full of introductory textbooks that are very similar in content but are organized only slightly differently.
Moreover, as the OER texts come in digital formats with clickable internal and external links, it is easier for students to navigate the text and access external resources, whether a referenced work or a reading listed for further research. Given that today, the current generation in college is highly accustomed to technology, digitally driven knowledge can be a better and more intuitive option.
All in all, while standard commercial textbooks excel in content presentation, which makes them appear more professional and superior, the content is more or less comparable between the two types of textbooks. Upon inspecting the chosen chapters, it is evident that there is a common core to introductory Sociology and Anthropology. Additionally, one has to keep in mind that it is not entirely fair to compare an OER textbook with limited funding with one from an established publisher, especially in terms of non-rudimentary aspects of content presentation. Although well-designed presentation can help with engagement and information retention, a big price tag can prevent a lot of students from accessing the materials in the first place. Given that there are one or two high-quality OER textbooks in each discipline considered in this study that are comparable to the traditional ones, OER adoption should be encouraged to benefit both instructors and students.