Open Educational Resources

The concept of OER has emerged as having great potential to support educational transformation, given its principle of the right to education by all. It is considered a worthwhile option, particularly in the context of spiralling education costs and the need to make education more accessible, affordable and useable.

Whilst there is an unprecedented demand for access to higher education, most governments also face challenges in providing the necessary support to public institutions (Power, 2000). There is much debate about how to fund expanding academic systems, with current approaches emphasising the need for students to at least share the cost of instruction.

This report provides an overview of the findings of the COL/UNESCO survey on OER policies and activity across all countries of the world.

The Guyana case study demonstrates that ICT can be used effectively as a catalyst for educational change. The potential benefits that can be derived from embracing ICT tools and content (in the form of OER) are significant and can enhance teaching and learning, administration and communication.

This Guide aims to help individuals and institutions that are adopting post-traditional approaches by outlining key issues to consider when assuring the quality of their offerings.

This paper reports on two action research projects which explored the challenge of determining the conditions under which use of OER can drive a transformative educational agenda in schooling systems.

This paper describes the process used to redesign the teacher training curriculum in Guyana to achieve the goals of a newly-developed ICT Professional Development Strategy.

This Guide comprises three sections. The first – a summary of the key issues – is presented in the form of a set of ‘Frequently Asked Questions’. The second section is a more comprehensive analysis of these issues, presented in the form of a traditional research paper. The third section is a set of appendices, containing more detailed information about specific areas of relevance to OER.

We will explore OER in general to give you an understanding of what they are and who the key players are in the progress of OER. By the end of the lesson, you should be able to make an informed decision about the worth of OER and how they might add value to your work as an educator or materials developer.

The report provides an outline of recommendations on how African universities can reinvent themselves through making certain changes that will enable them to be more relevant and responsive to 21st century skills demands and ultimately to serve their communities more effectively and efficiently.