Information on Open Education Resources

1. OPEN EDUCATIONAL
RESOURCES
THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE FUTURE

2. WHAT IS OER?
• Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and
research materials that are either (a) in the public domain or (b)
licensed in a manner that provides everyone with free and
perpetual permission to engage in the 5R activities:
 Retain
Reuse
Revise
Remix
Redistribute

3. WHY USE OER? – THE BENEFITS
SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF OER – JUST A SAMPLE
Continuity of Education –
Students all over the world have
access to same material
Saves on cost – Fewer
Textbooks to Buy
Improves preparation and
retention of course material –
Teachers don’t have to re-invent
the wheel.
Social responsibility – provides
education for all
Shares best practice
internationally – A good idea can
be used around the world
Maximizes the use and
increases availability of
educational materials -

4. WHY USE OER? – THE CHALLENGES
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF OER – JUST A SAMPLE
Quality Assurance – How can
you be sure the information
is accurate?
Lack of understanding of
OER – Many people don’t
know about OER or what it
can do for education
Sustainabilty of OER – It will
cost a lot to properly
maintain it.
It’s irreversible and
irretrievable – If you share it,
it is out there for eternity
Accessibility – OER is
relatively new. Many of the
resources must be reviewed
and modified for accessibility