Making the Case for Open Educational Resources
Introduction
The concept of Open Educational Resources (OER) was originally coined during a UNESCO Forum on Open Courseware for Higher Education in Developing Countries held in 2002. During a follow-up, online discussion, also hosted by UNESCO, the initial concept was further developed as follows:
Open Educational Resources are defined as 'technology-enabled, open provision of educational resources for consultation, use and adaptation by a community of users for non-commercial purposes.' They are typically made freely available over the Web or the Internet. Their principle use is by teachers and educational institutions to support course development, but they can also be used directly by students. Open Educational Resources include learning objects such as lecture material, references and readings, simulations, experiments and demonstrations, as well as syllabuses, curricula, and teachers' guides. (Wiley 2006)
Since that time, the term has gained significant currency around the world and become the subject of heightened interest in policy-making and institutional circles, as many people and institutions explore the concept and its potential to contribute to improved delivery of higher education around the world. This section of the Guide examines the concept of OER in more detail, offering a simple, clear definition, and explaining the economic and educational potential behind that definition and the origin of OER in longstanding educational and technological developments globally. It then uses this platform to provide an overview of key issues that educational planners and decision-makers need to take into account in order to harness OER effectively, including issues of policy, curriculum and materials development, quality, and sustainability. This section of the Guide is accompanied by a series of appendices that provide further details such as introducing examples of OER practices around the world and exploring legal and licensing considerations for OER.
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