Benefits and Challenges of OER

1. Benefits &
Challenges of
OER
Kelsey Denton

2. BENIFITS
 Course materials are typically current and can be
easily changed/updated to include the most up to
date information
 Course materials are FREE for students (no more
waiting for financial aid to get started!)
 Course materials can be modulated, adapted and
added/deleted easily as long as Creative Commons
licenses and other copyrights are followed
appropriately
 Course materials can be shared freely in multiple
formats as long as Creative Commons licenses and
other copyrights are followed appropriately
 Course materials are transparent in purpose; no
hidden agendas regarding income or future
purchases on the part of students or faculty

3. CHALLANGES
 Finding and organizing materials is time
intensive
 Attributing sources is important and can be
cumbersome
 Using OER extends course development
and design time
 Most OER materials are electronic and for
some students this presents a technological
barrier or learning curve to their use
 Share Alike, No Derivative licenses may, in
fact, limit adaptability of a resource to a
specific course