Benefits and challenges of OER

1. The benefits and challenges
of OER
JENNIFER MCFARLAND
SKAGIT VALLEY COLLEGE
CURIOUS ADJUNCT MATH/SCIENCE INSTRUCTOR

2. The benefits
 A whole world of materials right at our fingertips and at the fingertips of anyone
that has internet access.
 Materials available to students without the exorbitant cost.
 Great support through OER and Creative commons.
 Using these materials supports the “modern”, “tech-savvy” student
 A great challenge for a more “mature” teacher that has great enthusiasm for
staying current and being “on the technology bus”.

3. The challenges
 Where do you begin? There is SO much material, it’s difficult to isolate materials
and not feel that you are missing something good!
 Pedagogy, how to collect materials and present them for meaningful, long term
learning.
 We assume that students have reliable internet sources (sadly, I’ve found this NOT
to be true for some of our students).
 With the diversity of students at the community college, some older students may
have a large learning curve using these materials.
 The inertia of status quo, how do we get the large institutions to embrace OER. Ie,
how do the textbooks companies feel about this (in my experience they are often
a driving factor in curriculum).

4. What’s next?
 Take the plunge!
 As with any new teaching tool, start small and build!
 I can’t wait to try pieces of the ideas presented in this class in my future class.