2. BENEFITS TO USING OER
Socially Responsible
• Universal Access
• Free
• Equal opportunity
Relevant
• Up-to-date resources
• Content experts
• Current technology
• High quality
Sustainable
• Low cost for institutions, faculty, and
students
• No more paper textbooks
Collaborative
• Materials can be developed by content
experts from various global locations
• Course sharing
Flexible
• Adaptable, customizable
• Possible to translate to different
languages
• Faculty can use what they need
3. BARRIERS TO USING OER
Technology
• Access to technology
• Computer literacy
• Connection problems
• Invalid links
• Tech support: Who do students contact
w/ tech problems?
Learning Modalities
• Heavy use of materials that favor visual
learners
• Lack of interactive resources
• Many “rote” style materials that rely on
memorization of content.
• Few opportunities for application of
skills/knowledge
•Motivation
• Can make the difference in completion
• Takes a lot of self-motivation
• Persistence
• Online environment can be a struggle for
some students
Adoption
• Faculty “textbook minded”
• Departmental text requirements
• Hesitancy about source credibility
Lack of Resources
• Support from institution/colleagues
• Lack of technology resources
• Some disciplines are well-represented
and others aren’t