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Introduction
Introduction
Nowadays, the concept of OER (open educational resources) is widely known all over the world. Maybe you just heard the term OER but have no idea about what it means; maybe you have used OER before, but you did not know the resource you were using belongs to OER; maybe you know what OER means, but you don’t know how many things you need to consider when you design your own OER, etc. The above questions will be explained through the study of our project. If you are interested in using OER in your course of study, you will need to clearly identify certain open resources in certain contexts. Now, you are in the first part of the project, which aims to give you an overall understanding of OER.
Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you will be able to
Define OER (Open Educational Resources).
Recognize the importance of using OER.
Clarify some myths about OER.
Compare OER to other related topics (E-learning; Open-learning/education; Resource-based learning).
Analyze related research and research efforts about OER.
Note: This same lesson is available in multiple formats. Choose one that you prefer to use.
1. What are Open Educational Resources?
1. What are Open Educational Resources?
1.1 The Definition of OER
1.1 The Definition of OER
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning and research materials in any medium–digital or otherwise–that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions. OER can include both digital and non-digital resources. [1]
For a quick introduction about OER, please watch the following video: What is OER? [2]
For more definitions of OER, please review the following website: More definitions of OER [3]
1.2 5R Framework of OER
1.2 5R Framework of OER
A total of five activities/permissions are available when using OER. 5R activities/permissions of OER were proposed by David Wiley (nd)., which include:
Retain- the right to make, own, and control copies of the content (e.g., download, duplicate, store, and manage).
Reuse- the right to use the content in a wide range of ways (e.g., in a class, in a study group, on a website, in a video).
Revise-the right to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself (e.g., translate the content into another language).
Remix-the right to combine the original or revised content with other material to create something new (e.g., incorporate the content into a mashup).
Redistribute-the right to share copies of the original content, your revisions, or your remixes with others (e.g., give a copy of the content to a friend)[4].
Cost of Textbook
The cost of OER textbooks are more cost effective than traditional textbooks. According to the SPACE, the average cost of textbooks is $200 per book. A perception of OER study by Hilton (2016)[6] shows that OER textbooks to be of equal quality of material compared to traditional textbooks. It is easy to distribute widely at little to no cost.
Customizable Materials
Utilizing the 5Rs, Instructors can create course materials that match the learners’ needs rather than using traditional materials one-size-fits-all models. OERs can also be supplemental materials to other course materials. They can also serve as enhancement materials for the course.
Textbook Access
OER textbooks are more accessible in digital format. Publishers are introducing digital-only inclusive access for textbooks. Quick availability of material may increase the timeliness and/or relevance of the material being presented. OER can be improved quickly through direct editing.[8]
Expanded Access
OER are available any time to the international community of learners. Materials have perpetual access.
Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning is the continuous, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for personal or professional development throughout one's life. Open Educational Resources (OER) play a pivotal role in lifelong learning by providing free and accessible educational materials to learners of all ages and backgrounds. This open access fosters a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability, which is essential in today's rapidly changing world. By removing financial and geographical barriers, OER supports lifelong learners in staying current, competitive, and engaged in their personal and professional lives.
3.1 Open simply means free.
3.1 Open simply means free.
OER are considered free because they are available under open licenses, which allow anyone to use and modify them, under specific condition for free.
3.2 All OER are digital.
3.2 All OER are digital.
Even though lots of OER are presented initially online, there is no rule that OER should be digital-only. OER take many formats, including print, digital, audio, and more.
3.3 OER mean low quality material.
3.3 OER mean low quality material.
The level of assurance people get from OER is the same as the traditional materials. The truth is it depends on which resources you choose to use, how they adapt the resources to make them become "high quality,"
3.4 OER damage the author's intellectual property and profits.
3.4 OER damage the author's intellectual property and profits.
The OER are built upon high respect for both users' and authors' rights. The use of Creative Commons for licensing open materials makes sure of the rights and the proper attribution.
3.5 OER are applicable only for distance learning.
3.5 OER are applicable only for distance learning.
Although many popular OER projects are digital-born, OER and digital resources are not the same. The core of the OER concept assumes that OER should be multi-platform, which means that they are produced to be easily adaptable to any format.
3.6 Open textbooks lack anciliaries.
3.6 Open textbooks lack anciliaries.
Open textbooks often come with ancillaries, such as lecture slides homework format, videos, and images. When they do not, existing OER can provide additional supports.
4. Comparisons between OER and some related Topics
4. Comparisons between OER and some related Topics
Open Education Resources (OER) are educational materials that are free to use, have few or no access restrictions, and can be freely remixed, and adapted.
E-Learning, or electronic learning, is the delivery of learning and training through digital resources.
OER can be produced in any medium/format: paper-based text, video, audio, or multimedia.
OER can provide students with access to course content (such as e-learning content) and break down barriers to knowledge.
E-learning can utilize OER's to share without having to worry about licensing restrictions.[10]
Open learning is free of traditional academic admission requirements and is generally offered online.
OER’s open content is licensed in a way that grants users the permission to Retain, Reuse, Revise, Remix, and Redistribute.
Open learning’s open content is licensed in a way that grants users the permission to Retain, Reuse, Revise, Remix, and Redistribute.
OER can support open learning/open education by providing access to various educational materials.[11]
Resource-Based Learning is a planned educational program that actively involves students in the effective use of a wide range of appropriate print, nonprint, and human resources.
There is no direct relationship between OER and resource-based learning.
Many OER available online have not explicitly been designed as part of a deliberate strategy to shift to resource-based learning.
Likewise, most practice in resource-based learning currently uses fully copyrighted materials rather than OER.[12]
4.1 Values of OER
4.1 Values of OER
4.2 Reasons to use OER
4.2 Reasons to use OER
_EME5250-Reasons for OER.docx.pdf5. Research in OER
5. Research in OER
Interested in learning more about OER-related research and research efforts? Access and/or contribute to our live Google Docs located below. (Action Item for Sites Editor: Add .pdf)
Attributions
Attributions
[1]Open Educational Resources, BY Wikipedia. Licensed under the CC-BY-SA 3.0
[2]What is OER? By The Council of Chief State School Officers. Licensed under the CC BY 4.0
[3]More definition of OER. BY Wikipedia, Licensed under the CC BY 4.0
[4]Attribution: https://opencontent.org/definition/ BY David Wiley. Licensed under the CC BY 4.0
[5]Attribution： Why OER? BY The Council of Chief State School Officers Licensed under the CC BY 4.0
[6]Hilton III, J. (2016). Open educational resources and college textbook choices: a review of research on efficacy and perceptions. Education Tech Research and development, 64 (4). 573-590. DOI: 10.1007/s 11423-016-9434-9
[7]Attribution: A review of the effectiveness & perceptions of open educational resources as compared to textbooks. BY Research Shorts. Licensed under the CC BY 4.0
[8]Inflection Point: Educational Resources in U.S. Higher Education, 2019, Bay View Analytics is released under CC BY 4.0 Report available at http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/oer.html
[9] Attribution: OER Mythbusting. Washington, DC: SPARE, http://sparcopen.org/our-work/oer-mythbusting. Licensed under the CC BY 4.0
[10] Attribution: E-learning BY Vidhi Gupta (2017). Licensed under the CC BY-SA 4.0
[11] Attribution: SPACE: Open Education (2019), Licensed under the CC BY 4.0
[12] Attribution: Digital Learning Resources and Open Educational Resources BY Primo Garcia (2017). Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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