"Knovation Makes Open Educational Resources More Manageable and More Efficient Many schools are looking to lower costs by transitioning away from text books to Open Education Resources ..."
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Anaeli Villarreeal's curator insight,
May 17, 10:44 AM
In 2013, the Hewlett Foundation highlighted the transformative potential of Open Educational Resources (OER) in its white paper, *Open Educational Resources: Breaking the Lock Box on Education*. OER refers to educational materials that are freely accessible online for anyone to use, adapt, and share. They range from full courses, syllabi, and lectures to assignments, quizzes, and interactive activities. The key advantage of OER lies in its adaptability and the cost savings it offers to educational institutions and students. Most OERs are licensed under Creative Commons, allowing users to modify and redistribute the materials legally, which makes them ideal for collaborative and project-based learning environments. The flexibility to customize and enhance these resources supports innovative teaching and learning practices while significantly reducing the reliance on expensive textbooks. However, the diverse and rapidly evolving nature of OER necessitates careful curation and management to ensure their effectiveness and relevance. Librarians, teachers, and districts must strategically adopt and curate OER to prevent the use of outdated or low-quality materials. Several platforms, such as Amazon Inspire, MERLOT, OER Commons, and Khan Academy, offer robust repositories and tools for managing OER content. These platforms provide templates and links to create and launch OER, helping educators to effectively integrate these resources into their curricula. Additionally, tools like Follett’s Destiny Discover offer federated search engines that incorporate OER into their search features alongside traditional print materials and e-books, facilitating easier access and curation. As the #GoOpen initiative by the federal government and similar state-level efforts indicate, OER can play a crucial role in supplementing curriculum and reducing costs, but they require a structured approach to ensure quality and sustainability in educational settings.
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