The document outlines benefits and challenges of open educational resources (OER). Key benefits include providing protection through Creative Commons licensing, adding to instructor resources at potentially lower costs to students, and enabling global collaboration. However, challenges exist in gaining faculty buy-in due to loss of control over intellectual property. Additionally, not all disciplines have quality OER materials and some courses require hands-on work that online resources cannot replace.

1. BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES
OF OPEN EDUCATIONAL
RESOURCES (OER)
By Larry Strizich

2. BENEFITS
 Provides some level of protection by using Creative Commons
licensing
 Otherwise work would require being published to ensure ethical and
appropriate use
 Allows a resource to add to the ‘Bag of Tricks’ needed by
instructors
 Potentially lower cost to students
 Especially when students become able to use electronic texts
without printing

3. BENEFITS
 Open free coursework may provide a valuable resource for
students to support courses they may be taking for credit
 Another viewpoint or method may turn the trick for learning
 Potential for collaboration with peers throughout the world –
leading to an improved course.

4. CHALLENGES
 Faculty buy-in is an issue.
 Some faculty have spent years – some decades developing the
course materials they use. Losing control of that intellectual product
is a concern
 OER Resources are not available in every discipline – the paucity
of quality OER materials in non-supported areas will inhibit
participation
 As previously mentioned in the course – the inability to revoke
licensure using a common commons license is problematic

5. CHALLENGES
 Many learners need the tactile nature traditional course materials
– shifting the burden of production from traditional publishing
houses to local printing
 Some of the coursework available has a significant amount of
lab/hands-on work.
 Although online resources are tremendous, the equipment, supplies,
and expertise for support are not insignificant and give an unrealistic
impression of the course being available for free.
 Although coursework is available, there is no credential or
verification of learning – a student who takes an open course
would need to find another way to get a recognized credential.