OER 101, Assignment 7-1

1. OER
Pros & Cons
By Jodi Harms

2. The BENEFITS of OER
Leveling
the Playing
Field
Instructors in
communities
that are
smaller, less
affluent, rural,
or experience
some
disadvantage
due to
conditions,
have equal
access to
resources

3. Leveling
the Playing
Field
Instructors in
communities
that are
smaller, less
affluent, rural,
or experience
some
disadvantage
due to
conditions,
have equal
access to
resources
Cost
Savings
Students save
money by
using free or
inexpensive
materials
making
education
more
accessible.
The BENEFITS of OER

4. Leveling the
Playing Field
Instructors in
communities
that are smaller,
less affluent,
rural, or
experience
some
disadvantage
due to
conditions, have
equal access to
resources
Cost Savings
Students save
money by using
free or
inexpensive
materials making
education more
accessible.
Consistent
with the
Direction of
Education
Education is
becoming more
and more
digitized - it is a
natural
progression to
be able to
access, present
and use
materials online.
The freedom of
OER makes it
easier and
therefore more
inviting.
The BENEFITS of OER

5. Leveling the
Playing Field
Instructors in
communities that
are smaller, less
affluent, rural, or
experience some
disadvantage due
to conditions,
have equal
access to
resources
Cost Savings
Students save
money by using
free or
inexpensive
materials making
education more
accessible.
Consistent
with the
Direction of
Education
Education is
becoming more
and more
digitized - it is a
natural
progression to be
able to access,
present and use
materials online.
The freedom of
OER makes it
easier and
therefore more
inviting.
Mobility and
Portability
Access and
search can
happen
anywhere there’s
internet access
bringing
education to
places where it
once was not and
creating a global
learning/teaching
community.
The BENEFITS of OER

6. Leveling the
Playing Field
Instructors in
communities that
are smaller, less
affluent, rural, or
experience some
disadvantage due
to conditions,
have equal
access to
resources
Cost Savings
Students save
money by using
free or
inexpensive
materials making
education more
accessible.
Consistent
with the
Direction of
Education
Education is
becoming more
and more
digitized - it is a
natural
progression to be
able to access,
present and use
materials online.
The freedom of
OER makes it
easier and
therefore more
inviting.
Mobility and
Portability
Access and
search can
happen
anywhere there’s
internet access
bringing
education to
places where it
once was not and
creating a global
learning/teaching
community.
Collaboration
of Knowledge
Sharing and open
Creative
Commons
licensing
encourages
building upon
work that is
already started
encouraging
evolution in the
materials. There is
boundless
potential in this
type of
collaboration.
The BENEFITS of OER

7. Buy In
Will all see
the value
in sharing?
It’s not
likely that
all will want
to give up
intellectual
ownership.
The CHALLENGES of OER

8. Buy In
Will all see
the value in
sharing? It’s
not likely
that all will
want to give
up
intellectual
ownership.
Quality
As OER ages
and material
evolves,
how will
updates
and quality
be
maintained?
The CHALLENGES of OER

9. Buy In
Will all see
the value in
sharing? It’s
not likely that
all will want
to give up
intellectual
ownership.
Quality
As OER ages
and material
evolves, how
will updates
and quality
be
maintained?
Organization
OER is a
mountain of
material that
can be
cumbersome
to navigate
and
discourage
use.
The CHALLENGES of OER

10. Buy In
Will all see the
value in
sharing? It’s not
likely that all will
want to give up
intellectual
ownership.
Quality
As OER ages
and material
evolves, how
will updates
and quality be
maintained?
Organization
OER is a
mountain of
material that
can be
cumbersome
to navigate
and
discourage use.
Time &
Resources to
Contribute
Uploading
content can be
an
overwhelming
task, costing
institutions
money and
time. Grants
have been
available for
getting started,
but will that
continue?
The CHALLENGES of OER

11. Buy In
Will all see the
value in
sharing? It’s not
likely that all will
want to give up
intellectual
ownership.
Quality
As OER ages
and material
evolves, how
will updates
and quality be
maintained?
Organization
OER is a
mountain of
material that
can be
cumbersome
to navigate
and
discourage use.
Time &
Resources to
Contribute
Uploading
content can be
an
overwhelming
task, costing
institutions
money and
time. Grants
have been
available for
getting started,
but will that
continue?
Sustainability
In addition to
the
sustainability of
quality and
resources to
make
contributions, is
it economically
viable to give
away
education?
The CHALLENGES of OER

12. Conclusion
OER is a beautiful concept and ideally it will continue. However
without addressing the challenges, it will be nearly impossible to
sustain. Some things cannot be controlled, like the goal for total
buy in – people have their own opinions and perspectives, which
is human nature and a basic right – but some of the challenges to
the project could be controlled with effort. Defining
responsibilities and addressing the systematic challenges of
organization, protocol, and maintenance will be the key to
sustaining OER.
With the promise of benefits on a global scale, it is a worthy
undertaking!