A basic guide to open educational resources (OER)

Abstract

133 p. : ill.Libro ElectrónicoThis Guide comprises three sections. The first – a summary of the key issues – is presented in the form of a set of ‘Frequently Asked Questions’. Its purpose is to provide readers with a quick and user-friendly introduction to Open Educational Resources (OER) and some of the key issues to think about when exploring how to use OER most effectively. The second section is a more comprehensive analysis of these issues, presented in the form of a traditional research paper. For those who have a deeper interest in OER, this section will assist with making the case for OER more substantively. The third section is a set of appendices, containing more detailed information about specific areas of relevance to OER. These are aimed at people who are looking for substantive information regarding a specific area of interestContents Acknowledgements 1 Overview of the Guide 3 A Basic Guide to Open Educational Resources: Frequently asked questions 5 What are Open Educational Resources (OER)? 5 Is OER the same as e-learning? 5 Is OER the same as open learning/open education? 6 Is OER related to the concept of resource-based learning? 7 How open is an open licence? 8 What is the difference between OER and open access publishing? 9 Shouldn’t I worry about ‘giving away’ my intellectual property? 9 Who will guarantee the quality of OER? 12 How can education benefit by harnessing OER? 13 Is OER really free? 14 Does use of OER preclude use of commercial content? 16 What policy changes are needed for institutions to make more effective use of OER? 16 What are the best ways to build capacity in OER? 17 Where do I find OER? 18 How can I share my OER with others? 19 How much can I change OER for my own purposes? 20 Making the Case for Open Educational Resources 23 Introduction 23 Defining the concept 24 The implications for educational planners and decision-makers 39 Conclusion 44 References 45 Appendix One: Overview of Open Licences 47 Introduction 47 Creative Commons Licences 48 Appendix References 52 Appendix Two: The Components of a Well-Functioning Distance Education System 53 The Components 53 The Rationale for Use of Distance Education Methods 55 Appendix Three: Technology Applications 57 iii Appendix Four: Open Source Software Applications in Education 61 References 64 Appendix Five: Mapping the OER Terrain Online 65 Introduction 65 OCW OER Repositories 65 University OCW Initiatives 70 Subject-Specific OCW OER 74 Content Creation Initiatives 78 Open Schooling Initiatives 81 OCW OER Search 84 Conclusion 85 Appendix Six: A Catalogue of OER-Related Websites 87 OCW OER Repositories 88 Open Schooling Initiatives 92 OCW OER Search 93 University OCW Initiatives 95 Subject-Specific OCW-OER 104 OER Tools 109 Other OER Sources 113 Appendix Seven: Some OER Policy Issues in Distance Education 115 Appendix Eight: OER Policy Review Process 123 Appendix Nine: Skills Requirements for Work in Open Educational Resources 13