Thoughts on the benefits and challenges of OER.

1. Doug Ammons, MLIS
Clover Park Technical College

2. Saving money for our students
 Text books are hideously expensive and create a
real hardship for many of our students

3. Lots of material available
 There seem to be material available on just about
any subject and new stuff being regularly added

4. Flexibility
 Instructors can pick and choose from the best OER
out there to customize course material to their
needs

5. Online format appeals to students
 With the increased availability and use of smart
phones and tablets students (and instructors) are
comfortable accessing online material

6. It’s easy!
 Okay, there is a learning curve but it’s really not all
that hard. Certainly not as difficult as trying to
figure out the latest software upgrade that was
sprung upon you by the IT Department while you
were off on summer break

7. Time commitment
 Faculty who are pressed for time may find it
quicker and easier to use the most recent edition of
their favorite textbook rather than searching for an
equivalent OER, then having to periodically
update the material

8. May seem strange to students
 Concept may seem suspect to students who are
used to more traditional learning materials. I’ve
had students in the library looking for books on a
subject because, while there instructor didn’t
require a text book, the student felt more
comfortable having a book.

9. Quality of material is suspect
 Faculty might feel confident that the textbook
from a reputable publisher is of good quality but
leery of an OER created by a part-time instructor
at Southeastern State Institute of Vocational
Technology*
*no offense intended to either part time instructors, the backbone of our two year colleges, or the fine
folks at SSIVT if such a place exists

10. Threat to the status quo
 Bookstore folks may not like the idea of going to
open course textbooks
 Faculty may think; “Will school administration see
this as a way to reduce teaching faculty by
adopting existing open course that are out there at
no cost?”

11. Change is hard!
 Let’s face it, nobody likes change, even when its for
the best.