ABOUT OER
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are OER the same as open learning/open education?
Although use of OER can support open learning/open education, the two are not the same. Making 'open education' or 'open learning' a priority has significantly bigger implications than only committing to releasing resources as open or using OER in educational programmes. It requires systematic analysis of assessment and accreditation systems, student support, curriculum frameworks, mechanisms to recognize prior learning, and so on, in order to determine the extent to which they enhance or impede openness.
Open learning is an approach to education that seeks to remove all unnecessary barriers to learning, while aiming to provide students with a reasonable chance of success in an education and training system centred on their specific needs and located in multiple arenas of learning. It incorporates several key principles:
- Learning opportunity should be lifelong and should encompass both education and training;
- The learning process should centre on the learners, build on their experience and encourage independent and critical thinking;
- Learning provision should be flexible so that learners can increasingly choose, where, when, what and how they learn, as well as the pace at which they will learn;
- Prior learning, prior experience and demonstrated competencies should be recognized so that learners are not unnecessarily barred from educational opportunities by lack of appropriate qualifications;
- Learners should be able to accumulate credits from different learning contexts;
- Providers should create the conditions for a fair chance of learner success1.
1 Saide (South African Institute for Distance Education) (1996) The Green Paper on Higher Education: An open learning perspective. Unpublished paper, Saide, Johannesburg
Taken from A Basic Guide to Open Educational Resources (OER)
MORE INFORMATION ON OER
- What are Open Educational Resources (OER)?
- Are OER the same as open learning/open education?
- Are OER the same as e-learning?
- Who will guarantee the quality of OER?
- Shouldn't I worry about 'giving away' my intellectual property?
- How can education benefit by harnessing OER?
- What is the difference between OER and open access publishing?
- Are OER related to the concept of resource-based learning?
- Are OER really free?
- Where can I learn more about Creative Commons licenses and copyright?
- Where did the questions and answers in this FAQ section come from?
RECENT NOTES
November 12, 2024
Brock University’s Inclusive Education Research Lab and eCampusOntario have released On a Path to Open , a new report detailing key results from a study conducted with Ontario’s publically-supported colleges, universities, and Indigenous institutes about their capacity to support open educational practices (OEP). This report begins with an overview of open education and OEP, chronicles the development and deployment of the Institutional Self-Assessment Tool, presents results from an online survey of Ontario institutions, and closes with 10 practical recommendations. The full report is available here: https://www.ecampusontario.ca/on-a-path-to-open/ ...
September 3, 2024
The Canadian Initiative for Distance Education Research (CIDER) will be hosting a webinar on September 11, 2024, featuring Dr. Rory McGreal, UNESCO Chair in OER at Athabasca University, discussing the potentials of blockchain and artificial intelligence to empower micro-credentials. Empowering Micro-credentials using Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence Dr. Rory McGreal September 11, 2024, 11am MT http://www.cideresearch.ca/session/mcgreal-2024 The recognition and transfer of credits is becoming essential for students, as an increasing number of them are studying at different institutions, often at the same time online, in both traditional and unconventional settings. Micro-credentials can aid in this process by providing easily accessible and transparent evidence of skills or knowledge, certified by an authority, based on small units of learning. The development of Blockchain technology holds promise of becoming a useful enabler for supporting the storage and dissemination of micro-credentials on a global scale. Because of its immutability, Blockchain can be used to attest to students' accomplishments securely and privately under their control. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can facilitate the micro-credential assessment process as well as their maintenance and dissemination on the Blockchain. This session will describe the important features of these three technologies for higher educational contexts, and suggest how they can work together to improve learning for students, administration for institutions, and ensure security for both. Related chapter: Empowering Micro-credentials using Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence Registration is not required; all are welcome. To join the session, go to: http://www.cideresearch.ca/session/mcgreal-2024 ...
August 21, 2024
The Commonwealth of Learning has released a report on OER policy development, prepared by Professor Rory McGreal , consultant for facilitating the development of a draft OER policy for St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies, Trinidad & Tobago. The report is now available here . The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus (UWISTA), in a determined and focused fashion, has initiated a process to adopt a Policy statement on OER. This report contains an overview of the initiative, including the methodologies employed and the outcome achieved following the processes used in formulating a draft OER policy for consideration by the Campus authorities. As OER continues to gain prominence as a catalyst for democratizing education, this report can highlight UWISTA's commitment to the cause of OER and could also serve as a resource for the wider academic community and policymakers interested in implementing a similar policy supporting open access to educational content. The description of the process conducted, and the draft Policy that emerged from the consultations can offer insights into the strategies employed and lessons learned. Through this report, COL and readers can explore the UWISTA journey in OER policy development, with the hope that the experiences shared can contribute to a broader discourse on shaping OER policies in the wider Caribbean and beyond. OER Policy Development at St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies ...
August 12, 2024
The OER World Map has revised its user interface to improve user experience. The map has now been extended to take up the full browser window, with the search box and quick filter options revised. To browse the map, you can click on a specific country. The Map will then zoom in automatically to a state or region view. Now you can easily click on one of the entries (dots on the map) to view them. To see recent activities on the map, click on the menu tab Recent . To search the map for specific actors and activities, you can use the search box. The Search box is now more visible in front of the blue bar of the main menu in the upper corner. To find actors and activities on the Map, hover over the menu tab Find and the menu tab will open. Click on Lighthouses , Most Liked , or on one of the many options under the categories: Organization , Person , Service , Policy , Project , Tool or Event . For example, if you are looking for fellow teachers or researchers to exchange experience, then click on Teachers (under Person ). You will now see only entries on teachers. To filter for specific actors and activities, you can either use the Quick Filter icons on the left side in the lower corner, or the Advanced Filter function, which you can open by clicking on the arrow on the left upper corner. There you can filter for primary sector, subject or field of activity, for example. The OER World Map has been collecting and illustrating data on the growing number of actors and activities in the field of open education worldwide since 2014. Its aim is to support the development of the OER ecosystem by showing the most comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the OER movement possible. OER World Map ...
July 20, 2024
The OER Foundation (OERF) continues to develop and refine its web services through a tool set built around the "Fediverse" (the set of libre technologies tied together through the ActivityPub open standard). Through these services, the OERF continues to provide access to learning for tens of thousands of registered users and hundreds of thousands of anonymous learners. In this post , the OERF gives its update for July 2024 on its rich, complex, and cost-efficient set of technologies, their positions in the Fediverse, and how they contribute to the open learning services provided by the Foundation. Updating OER Foundation Web services for July 2024 ...
