This document discusses the benefits and challenges of open educational resources (OER) from the perspective of an instructor. It notes that OER allows instructors to enhance their lessons with open access materials like images, videos, and textbooks. However, the quality and appropriateness of these materials must be determined. If instructors make their own materials OER, then anyone can access and use them, but the materials may not be tailored for all audiences. OER also provides legal clarity around using and attributing open materials. While OER can save students money on textbooks, instructors may not be reimbursed for time spent compiling alternative materials. Overall, OER benefits include free access to world-class instructional content for all

1. Gretchen Jones
OER 101, WA SBCTC
This work by Gretchen Jones is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND.

2. For the instructor trying to
communicate concepts …
Benefits Challenges
 Access to an excellent array
of images and videos and
other material that enhance
what you are trying to
convey to your specific
group of students
 Can make your previously 2
dimensional presentation
jump into relevancy
 Open access does not imply
peer-reviewed or adhering
to particular standards
 The quality is for you to
determine
 The same ol’ criteria for
assessing quality and validity
applies

3. If that instructor then allows her
material to be used as an OER …
Benefits Challenges
 Access is now available for
anyone to view the material
and use it, according to the
limits of the Creative
Commons license utilized
 Knowledge, ideas, and
innovation can be spread
freely around the world!
 If the material was created
for a particular class or
group in mind … will those
accessing the material
realize they are not
necessarily the target
audience?

4. OER provides legal clarity …
Challenges Benefits
 When adding an image to a
PowerPoint, or a video to a
collection of required
assignments, gone are the
days of ignorantly including
any ol’ photo from the web
that makes your point
 The creator of the
PowerPoint or other
learning tool is saved the
legal muck hole they may
have gotten themselves into
 The creator of the original
work gets their due
recognition

5. OER provides the potential for
students to utilize free textbooks …
Benefits Challenges
 As an instructor, as much as I
like our current textbook,
does a student really need
to spend $140 on the text
for a 3 credit class?
 Finances and financial aid
dollars can always be used in
other ways
 If the instructor commits
considerable time to
compiling replacement
material, does she receive
reimbursement for her time
investment?

6. Access to world-class instruction,
available to anyone …
Benefits Challenges
 Available to anyone pursuing
their own interests or
wanting to increase their
knowledge
 You want to know more
about A&P or Genetics?
Then take an OER class from
UC Berkeley or Yale!
 My point: not just for college
students, it benefits all of
us!
 Institutions which can
financially and prestige-wise
benefit from this “service” of
providing OER will continue
to do so
 It is not inherently a
sustainable model for
excellent material
 It is reasonable for people to
be paid for their brilliant
ideas and works