Z-degree. https://ctl.mesacc.edu/teaching/z-degree/ Some other schools that participate in a Z degree. Austin Community College. Houston Community College. Mesa Community College. Minnesota State. “The Z Degree or “Zero-Textbook-Cost Degree” is exactly what it sounds like — Students are able to complete an Associates degree from MCC without paying for textbooks. The classes included in this degree leverage Open Educational Resources, library databases, and faculty-developed content to forgo the need to require expensive textbooks and publisher materials. Currently, we are only funding the development of online courses; however, if the content that is curated/developed is used in another modality, the course can be can be labeled a Z Course.”
Just about any school could do this. But the huge textbook publishers' industry makes sure they AND schools can make a profit on textbooks - and many schools are just not willing to forgo this income. I remember at least one occasion when a textbook cost more than the college course tuition! (Winter 1986-87 - Abnormal Psychology.) Closest to a Z-course I got back then was Economics,at university, night school, around 1995. Professor said "You don't have to buy the textbook. Buy the term notes for $8.50 (which she had written). Everything on all exams is covered in there." I don't think anybody in the class bought the textbook. And the professor was true to her promise.
Oh, good. Based on the symbol, it could have been a degree that was introduced during the Russian "special military operation." What a relief!
I taught for a school in an MBA program where each course designer had to create a highly structured course based on open-source materials. It was a royal pain. I taught the course I designed twice, then let the school know I would never teach it again. It felt like junk. The program died, by the way. Good riddance.
I remember when PDF’s were marketed as a cheaper solution than overpriced textbooks. In a sense, they were giving rise to piracy.
