Thursday, October 21, 2010

OER - why aren't more resources already available? What are the barriers to use?

I am following some discussions going on about OERs - one at http://www.science-connect.net/?q=node/1373 and the other via http://oerworkshop.weebly.com/forum-2-20---26-october-2010.html . Common themes: we don't trust what's out there; we don't have time to create; we want to protect the content we produce; we fear that the material we produce is not quality; the material that is out there is not in our language; our infrastructure doesn't support use of OER material (not enough computers, poor networks). The only positive note: One participant, Rob Merkus, points out that many faculty already find themselves remixing material found on the Web - does that count as use of open educational resources even though it's informal?

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