The document discusses the pros and cons of open educational resources (OER) that teachers should consider before using them. The pros are that OER provide free resources including lessons, activities, videos and entire courses. They encourage sharing knowledge and are accessible online. However, the cons are that there is a large quantity of OER so finding suitable resources takes time. The quality is not controlled so teachers must evaluate resources themselves. Teachers also need to understand licensing and how to share materials while maintaining licenses. Not all OER content is up-to-date and the technology requirements may limit some students. Weighing these pros and cons helps teachers make informed choices about using OER.

1. THE PROS AND CONS OF
OER
What Teachers Need To Know Before Diving
In
Dawn Allen

2. OER open up a world of possibilities to
teachers.
• They provide free resources - for you, your students, and
your institution. This includes everything from lessons and
activities to videos, images, and entire courses.
• They encourage creation of a shared body of knowledge
among experts.
• They are accessible anywhere and everywhere (provided
you have the technology and an internet connection).
• With the use of images, videos and other multimedia,
many OER appeal to students through a variety of
learning modes.
• While it may take some time for new developments in the
field to be published traditionally in book-form, changes
can quickly be released and shared widely through OER.
The Pros and Cons of OER

3. BUT…
Be sure to keep in mind some of the challenges of
using OER:
• There is an abundance of OER freely available. It can be
time consuming to wade through what’s out there to find
what’s right for you.
• There is no control over the quality of OER. It is up to you
to determine that for yourself.
• You have to learn not only about OER, but you also have
to understand Creative Commons licenses and how they
apply both to the materials you select to use as well as
materials you produce to share with others.
• Just because a resource is an OER doesn’t necessarily
mean it is up-to-date or reflects the latest developments in
the field.
• While OER may appeal to some students, the knowledge
and comfort with technology needed to be successful may
be a limiting The factor Pros for others.
and Cons of OER

4. Once you weigh the pros and cons of OER,
you can make informed decisions as you
select resources and incorporate them into
your courses.
The Pros and Cons of OER