the pros and cons of open educational resources

THE PROS AND CONS OF

OPEN

EDUCATIONAL

RESOURCES

Jenn deLeón

BENEFITS Cost – reduced costs for students

with low or no cost options

Availability – educational resources available to those who typically would not have access

Engagement – allows instructors to find/create their own content

Licensing – Creative Commons Licensing and public domain options allow use of resources without breaking copyright rules

Quality – allows contributions and review from many, raising the standards of the resources available

CHALLENGES Cost – finding resources can be

time consuming; creating resources will require continued funding and time

Availability – difficult to find resources for some disciplines

Engagement – relative “newness” of OER means many do not understand it or its potential

Licensing – creators of shared resources may be hesitant as Creative Commons licenses are non-revocable

Quality – how to judge the quality and relevance of resources available