OPEN EDUCATIONAL

RESOURCES

BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES

By Sherray Hurlbert

HOW WILL OERS

BENEFIT ME AS A CONSUMER?

BENEFITS OF OERS

•OERS ALLOW CONSUMERS OF

INFORMATION TO EASILY ACQUIRE, USE,

AND ALTER THE INFORMATION TO

ACCOMMODATE THE CONSUMER’S

INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.

BENEFITS OF OERS

•OERS SAVE TIME – NO NEED TO RE-

CREATE SOMETHING THAT ALREADY

EXISTS AND IS FREE TO USE

BENEFITS OF OERS

OERS ENCOURAGE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

THROUGH SELF-LEARNING

BENEFITS OF OERS

•OERS ALLOW EXPERTS IN THE FIELD TO

SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE WITH THE

WORLD

BENEFITS OF OERS

•OERS GIVE STUDENTS A GLIMPSE OF A

SUBJECT AREA THAT THEY MAY BE

INTERESTED IN PURSUING.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO

USING OERS?

CHALLENGES TO USING OERS

•LACK OF QUALITY CONTROL

•ANYONE MAY SUBMIT OPEN CONTENT

WHETHER HE OR SHE IS AN EXPERT OR

NOT; THEREFORE, THE LEVEL OF

QUALITY WILL VARY.

CHALLENGES TO USING OERS

•LACK OF STUDENT-TEACHER

CONNECTION

CHALLENGES TO USING OERS

•FINDING THE RIGHT RESOURCE CAN BE

OVERWHELMING AND TIME CONSUMING

CHALLENGES TO USING OERS

•THE “TEXTBOOK CONCEPT” OF A

COURSE MAY BE A “HARD HABIT TO

BREAK”• STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ALIKE MAY STILL THINK THAT THE

COURSE IS THE TEXTBOOK. WHEN, IN REALITY, A COURSE

SELDOM FOLLOWS THE TEXTBOOK FROM COVER TO COVER.

CHALLENGES TO USING OERS

•SINCE OER CREATORS ARE NOT

MONETARILY REWARDED FOR SHARING,

THERE IS NO INCENTIVE FOR OER

CREATORS TO CONTINUE TO UPDATE

THEIR MATERIAL