Does the phenomenon of Open Educational Resources lead to new didactic model? “It depends”

Abstract

Didderen, W., & Verjans, S. (2012). Does the phenomenon of Open Educational Resources lead to new didactic model? “It depends”. In R. Jacobi, & N. van der Woert (Eds.), Trend Report Open Educational Resources 2012 (pp. 9-15). Utrecht: SURF Foundation - Special Interest Group Open Educational Resources. Retrieved from https://www.surfspace.nl/artikel/697-trendrapport-open-educational-resources/.This contribution starts with the question of whether there is a direct relationship between OER and didactics. Is there such a thing as “OER didactics”? In the same way as a decade ago the usefulness and need for specific digital didactics were questioned, one can also raise questions regarding specific didactics for OER. Simons (2003) defined digital didactics as “knowledge and expertise regarding the use of ICT to facilitate learning”. A parallel definition of OER didactics would therefore be: “knowledge and expertise regarding the use of OER to facilitate learning”. More generally, one might define specific didactic models as “knowledge and expertise regarding the use of X to facilitate learning”, with X then being replaced by specific tools or technologies, for example online video, virtual worlds, or serious games. The question is then: Is it in fact valuable to think of specific didactic theories, models, or practices specifically for Open Educational Resources? Are OER didactics a specific discipline within digital didactics, or within didactics in general?SURF Foundatio