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The Battle for Open
institutions.’ However, the impact can be seen in a number of different aspects. The OER Research Hub (2013) set out eleven hypotheses which represented many of the key beliefs propounded regarding OERs:
- Use of OER leads to improvement in student performance and satisfaction.
- The open aspect of OER creates different usage and adoption patterns than other online resources.
- Open education models lead to more equitable access to education, serving a broader base of learners than traditional education.
- Use of OER is an effective method for improving retention for at-risk students.
- Use of OER leads to critical reflection by educators, with evidence of improvement in their practice.
- OER adoption at an institutional level leads to financial benefits for students and/or institutions.
- Informal learners use a variety of indicators when selecting OER.
- Informal learners adopt a variety of techniques to compensate for the lack of formal support, which can be supported in open courses.
- Open education acts as a bridge to formal education, and is complementary, not competitive, with it.
- Participation in OER pilots and programs leads to policy change at the institutional level.
- Informal means of assessment are motivators to learning with OER.
These beliefs would often be stated as obvious, undeniably true or based on anecdote, but rarely backed up by evidence. The OER
