The document discusses the advantages and disadvantages of open educational resources (OERs). Some key advantages are that OERs can reduce costs for students, allow instructors to customize materials, and are easily modified. However, some disadvantages are that OERs may have language barriers, rely on technology infrastructure, lack interaction, and have static or unsustainable formats.

1. Advantages and
Disadvantages
of Open
Educational
Resources(OER)
Vafa Safa

2. Advantages of OER

3. Affordable for
students
The use of OERs instead of traditional
textbooks or course packs, etc. can
substantially reduce the cost of course
materials for students. The cost savings
could be an advantage to students.

4. Adjust the Course
OERs give faculty the ability to customize course materials,
creating the “perfect” course packet or textbook instead of
being bound to a traditional one-size-fits-all model.

5. Modifiable
• Unlike traditional textbooks and other static information
sources, Open Educational Resources (OERs) offer the
advantage of rapid improvement through direct user editing
or by actively seeking and incorporating user feedback.
Instructors have the flexibility to take an existing OER,
customize it for their class, and share the modified content
with others.

6. Freely-licensed
• These licenses often promote openness, collaboration, and sharing of information.
Common examples of freely licensed content include open-source software, creative
commons-licensed media, and other materials that are not bound by strict copyright
limitations.

7. Open Access
• Open access refers to the practice of
making scholarly research and academic
publications freely available to the public,
without barriers such as subscription fees
or paywalls. This concept is designed to
ensure that research output is accessible
to a global audience, including
researchers, students, professionals, and
the general public.

8. Disadvantages of
OER

9. Language
Barrier
• Refer to difficulties that people may face
when trying to communicate with individuals
who speak a different language. This can
hinder effective communication and
understanding.

10. Dependent
to
Technology
(Lack of
Offline
Access)
OER often relies on technology for distribution
and access. This can be a disadvantage in
regions where technology infrastructure is
weak or inconsistent.

11. Lack of
Interaction
The absence of interpersonal engagement
between educators and learners

12. Static Format
Some OERs are published in digital
formats that make it hard to
download, access, and modify the
content

13. OER on
Sustainability
Challenges
As OER creators typically do not receive
compensation for their materials, there might
be limited motivation for them to update or
ensure the ongoing online availability of their
OER.