The document discusses benefits and challenges of open educational resources (OER). Some key benefits are that OER allow free use of materials without permission, provide cheaper textbook options for students, and give students access to online classes from top universities. However, challenges include uneven quality control, lack of licensing for some content, reliance on funding that could expire, difficulty finding content in some subjects, and inability to revoke copyrights. The document provides examples and links to illustrate both benefits and limitations of OER.

1. Benefits and Challenges
By Beth Huff
OER

2. 1. Using materials from sources that are
open to sharing
• Previously I would often used images in my
lectures from the internet without asking
permission or crediting
Benefits
Influenza Virus @wikipedia.org by National Institute of Health and is Public domain

3. 2. Students find it cheaper to by open
resource books
• My Anatomy and Physiology book was over
$300
• I found an Anatomy and Physiology book on-
line that was comparable to our book that was
open textbook
• http://www.collegeopentextbooks.org/
More Benefits

4. 3. Students have choices for classes on-line
from other universities—Even ones that
are ivy-league out of their price range.
• I always wanted to go to Yale!
• http://oyc.yale.edu/
Even More Benefits
Open Yale Courses@Yale is licensed CC BY
3.0

5. 4. I don’t always have to reinvent the
wheel—maybe someone else has
already done that!
• Merlot is full of resources to help build your
course and add in content
• You can add images, assignments, video,
and powerpoints
• http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
• Hampster wheel @enwikipedia.org
byDoenertier82 is licensed by CC BY-SA 3.0
And Even More Benefits

6. 5. Students have a place to go for extra
help. –We all need extra help now and
then.
And Even More Benefits
Studying Hard@flickr.com by Dean+Barb is licensed CC by 2.0

7. 1. Uploaded materials aren’t regulated or
peer-reviewed. Sometimes we find poor
quality materials.
• "The bitterness of poor quality remains long
after the sweetness of low price is forgotten."
--Benjamin Franklin
Disadvantages
Dirt Cheap Ducks @ Flickr.com by Eva the
Weaver is licensed by CC NC-SA 2.0

8. 2. Not everyone knows to license their work
as open resource or creative commons.
• Darn, I can’t use that resource unless I
contact them and ask them for permission!
• I may have to link to something on the
internet and use it there.
• How big is that cell?
• http://www.cellsalive.com/howbig.htm
Disadvantages Cont.
Virus @ openclipart.org by venitav

9. 3. Databases require funding to keep up
and funding may run out.
• We’d then have to pay for the content and it
would be no different than now.
More Disadvantages
Money @ pixabay.com by Rev is licensed by CC0
Public Domain

10. 4. Some subjects are difficult to find content
for.
• Black holes
• The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross
• Chaos theory
• Structure theory
• String theory
• The complete works of Shakespeare
Even More Disadvantages

11. 5. Copyrights are non-revocable after
licensing.
• Once you’ve given away rights, you can not
retroactively go and undo them. 
• Even when later you are offered 1 million dollars to
develop your idea.
And Even More Disadvantages

12. Live Long
and
Prosper
Leonard Nemoy and William Shatner @
en.wikipedia.org by Unknown is licensed by Public
Domain