This is a PowerPoint presentation describing the benefits and challenges of using OER for college courses.

1. Benefits and Challenges
of Open Educational
Resources
By: Cory Martin
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2. Presentation Outline
• This presentation will describe the following “benefits” and “challenges” of using Open
Educational Resources (OER):
• Benefits of OER to include:
• Cost Savings for Students
• Ideas for Curriculum Development
• Adaptable Resources
• Enhancement of Curriculum and Textbook
• Interaction for Students
• Challenges of OER to include:
• Outdated Resources
• Scarcity of Subject Matter
• Learning Management System Integration
• Internet Connectivity Issues
• Quality Control
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3. Benefits of OER
• OER Benefit #1 - Cost Savings for Students
Most college courses require one or more textbooks to
be purchased which incurs additional costs above tuition
for course completion and grades.
OER is free.
This saves students the additional costs associated with
a textbook(s) purchase, keeping more money
(resources) in the pocket of the student.
Reduced textbook costs also reduces student loan
obligations after college.
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4. Benefits of OER
• OER Benefit #2 - Ideas for Curriculum
Development
OER can provide wonderful ideas for teachers in
the development or modification of existing course
curriculum.
Sometimes teachers feel in ‘isolation’ in terms of
sharing curriculum insight in their content area, so
perusing OER curriculum is an easy and quick way
to gain ideas from others.
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5. Benefits of OER
• OER Benefit #3 - Adaptable Resources
OER can be revised and remixed.
This allows teachers to incorporate their own ideas
into the revision of OER to make it more suitable for
their students.
Revising and remixing can greatly benefit students
who are at various learning and reading levels.
Teachers are therefore able to “customize” OER to
address the needs of their specific class.
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6. Benefits of OER
• OER Benefit #4 - Enhancement of Curriculum and
Textbook
Teachers may sometimes need to supplement their
existing curriculum and textbook.
Teachers have the ability to incorporate all or parts
of OER to enhance teaching and learning of existing
class materials.
In this sense, OER becomes a wonderful
‘scaffolding’ tool to help students better achieve
learning outcomes.
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7. Benefits of OER
• OER Benefit #5 - Interaction for Students
Teachers are not the only ones who can remix and
revise OER content.
OER remixing and revision can be utilized by
students which is not possible with a static
textbook.
Student modification of OER can enhance critical
thinking skills through ‘active’ learning as opposed
to passive reading.
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8. Challenges of OER
• OER Challenge #1 - Outdated Resources
An inherent challenge of teaching a professional-
technical program (possibly others) is the inevitable
outdating of learning materials.
Technology and healthcare subjects are dynamic
with changes and updates needed yearly.
Keeping OER updated and viable for certain
subjects may not be sustainable.
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9. Challenges of OER
• OER Challenge #2 - Scarcity of Subject Matter
Generally speaking, there are fewer Professional-
Technical OER content creators.
Some professional-technical OER, such as allied
health professions (radiology, medical lab technician,
optometry, etc.), may be scarce.
It is possible that more of these ‘scarce’ OER
subjects will be created over time, but then there is
the ‘outdated technology’ issue (mentioned
previously).
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10. Challenges of OER
• OER Challenge #3 - Learning Management
System Integration
Recently, I was working with another teacher to
incorporate OER into a class.
To properly integrate this particular OER into the
LMS, the assistance of our LMS manager was
required.
LMS integration may present challenges that a
teacher is not able to resolve on her/his own and
therefore need outside assistance.
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11. Challenges of OER
• OER Challenge #4 - Internet Connectivity Issues.
Online OER may present a challenge to students
who lack internet connectivity or have erratic or
slow service.
Additionally, there may be software required by the
OER that students may not afford.
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12. Challenges of OER
• OER Challenge #5 - Quality Control.
OER may not be relevant.
OER may not be current.
OER may not be accurate.
Teachers will have to perform their own “quality
control” to ensure the adopted resources have
been properly vetted.
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13. The End…
Thank you for viewing!
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