This is a powerpoint that shares some of the pros and cons of open education resources. This is part of an assignment for an OER course hosted by the SBCTC in Washington.

1. Open Educational Resources:
Benefits & Challenges
Samantha Thompson

2. Benefits
Cost-Savings: Students can avoid large purchases for textbooks; faculty can avoid
purchasing materials
Creative Generation: Students can be part of the creative process; supports
multiple formats and purposes
Post-Course Availability: Students can have access to content after a course ends
and the digital format is more flexible
Diversity: It is rare that one source can do everything; educators have access to
use content that covers more than just the perspective of a few authors
Quantity: There are hundreds and thousands of sources available, including from
universities, open-source sites, and designated OER sites
Samantha Thompson - Open Educational Resources: Benefits & Challenges

3. Challenges
Quality: Many OERs are created for specific purposes or not updated frequently
Simple: Traditional textbooks often include a teachers edition and a student
version which offers different perspectives and support
Time-Consuming: OERs can be difficult to make, but they can also be challenging
to find and filter out
Technology Barriers: Some students may not have access to computers, internet,
smart phones/tablets that could create an equity issue compared to hard-copy
materials
Licensing: The licensing is available for OERs but there are variable levels of “fair
use” that can make it challenging to understand how to cite authors
Samantha Thompson - Open Educational Resources: Benefits & Challenges