This document summarizes trends in open educational resources (OER) programs in North American higher education. It finds that OER programs primarily focus on adoption and awareness strategies. Library departments and subjects like psychology and sociology have seen the most engagement with OER. While OER use is growing, issues around inclusive access and paid content behind paywalls posing as OER remain concerns in the field.

1. CONNECT OER
NICOLE ALLEN | #OpenEd18 | 10/10/18
TRENDS & COLLECTIVE IMPACT
IN NORTH AMERICAN HIGHER ED

2. @txtbks | sparcopen.org

3. DATA

4. connect.sparcopen.org

5. connect.sparcopen.org

6. connect.sparcopen.org

7. connect.sparcopen.org

9. Types of OER Programs

10. @txtbks | sparcopen.org
Program Primary / Secondary
Strategies
Adoption 48% / 44%
Awareness 28% / 61%
Curation 2% / 61%
Pedagogy 2% / 61%
Review 0% / 50%
Research 0% / 39%

11. @txtbks | sparcopen.org
63%
Programs require open licensing
as a condition of incentives. All
others recommend it.
https://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/oer.html

12. Campus Entities Most Engaged

13. Library Departments Most Engaged

14. Subjects With Most Traction

15. Subjects With Most Traction

16. @txtbks | sparcopen.org
49%
Had a taskforce with OER as
the primary focus (36%) or
secondary focus (17%)

17. @txtbks | sparcopen.org
18%
Have markings in the course
catalog for OER (6%), free
content (4%) or low cost
material 80%

18. @txtbks | sparcopen.org
50%
Had staff positions with OER
in the job title (17%) or
description (36%)

19. Location of OER Staff

20. TRENDS

22. https://wapo.st/2qyav0F

23. @txtbks | sparcopen.org
“Costs have gotten as bad as
they can get, so any step you
take [seems to] lead in a better
direction. The question is: How
quickly will that path end up
right back where we started?”
https://wapo.st/2qyav0F

24. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/11/07/inclusive-access-takes-model-college-textbook-sales

29. @txtbks | sparcopen.org
“If all this program amounts to
is charging students $14.99 for
access to flexible content, that's
a step up from the status quo.
But we should not be calling it
OER. OER locked behind a
paywall is not open. It's just
content."
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2018/02/14/another-publisher-
macmillan-expands-footprint-open-textbook

30. @txtbks | sparcopen.org
“It’s important for new actors to
understand that there are a whole set
of values behind OER, beyond free
content. Open education is
intrinsically linked with the idea of
inclusivity and equity. It’s about
removing barriers and making sure
that everyone has the opportunity to
participate.”
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2018/03/05/advocates-develop-
framework-stewardship-open-educational

31. @txtbks
www.slideshare.com/txtbks
www.sparcopen.org
except where otherwise noted