Issues in OER: Panel Presentation

Abstract

Open Educational Resources (OERs) are becoming increasingly popular in educational institutions. OERs include all educational resources - normally digital in nature such as learning objects, open courseware, etc. that can be freely accessed (with no cost to users) via the Internet with minimal or no restrictions.

UNESCO (2002, Paragraph 3) has defined OERs as the OERs are normally accessed freely using the World Wide Web either on institutional sites or in organizational repositories. Course developers, teachers and instructors are principal users of OERs, but there is a growing number of students who are accessing them directly to augment their learning. OERs include learning objects such as modularized lessons, video and audio lectures (podcasts), references, workbooks and textbooks, multimedia simulations, experiments and demonstrations, as well as syllabi, curricula and lesson plans. This panel will lead a discussion on major issues associated with the creation, adaptation, localization, dissemination and reuse of OERs.