Powerpoint presentation about the benefits and challenges of using Open Educational Resources

1. BENEFITS AND
CHALLENGES OF OER

2. BENEFITS
 Provides instructors with tons of high quality content covering a
wide range of subject matter.
 Can save students a significant amount of money on textbooks.
 Can improve student performance. Many students can’t afford to
buy all of the required materials and fall behind in class.
 Expands access to students. Students can access content from
around the world.

3. BENEFITS
 Digital material can be updated in a quick and efficient manner, no
more textbook maps with USSR.
 Course materials can be made available in a variety of formats.
Which can help struggling students. For example: A student who is
struggling with a text might find success with a Khan Academy video

4. CHALLENGES
 How do content creators make money? If they are not making
money what is their motivation to update materials?
 Is the quality of the “free” material up to the level of paid
materials?
 With so much available how do we find high quality materials in
the glut of choices?

5. CHALLENGES
 With the speed that OER’s can be changed how do we determine
if the new material is correct or properly incorporated into lessons?
 With paid material a publisher has gone through and edited the
content. With OER who is in charge of editing?
 If a school starts incorporating lots of OER will the students
protest if the school decides to transition back to paid materials?
Once we start down the road of OER are we locked in?