Integration of OER with Courses – Center for Teaching and Learning

Making Education More Accessible
using Open Educational Resources (OER)

The cost of education continues to rise, placing a heavy burden on both students and educators. Many students struggle to afford expensive textbooks and learning materials, while educators face limitations in accessing diverse, up-to-date resources to enhance their teaching. These barriers not only hinder academic success but also contribute to widening the gap in educational equity. However, Open Educational Resources (OER) present a promising solution. OER empowers educators by providing free and accessible learning materials online for lecturers and students to engage with high-quality content, regardless of their financial situation. Let’s explore how OER can revolutionize our courses and enhance teaching and learning experiences.

What is OER?

Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials that reside in the public domain or are protected by copyright but are released under an open license. This allows these materials to be freely accessed, reused, and redistributed without cost. OER can include text, videos, images, audio, or other formats that support teaching and learning activities.

Examples of OER Resources

Instructors:
Design semester learning plans by utilizing OER platforms as part of the teaching process.

Example:
A lecturer in the Elementary School Teacher Education program uses OER resources from the Khan Academy YouTube channel and incorporates the materials into the Moodle learning platform.

Here are some examples of OER resources that can be utilized:
– OER Universitas Terbuka
– OER ACU
– OER Asean
– Khan Academy
– Primaryresources.com
– Sparklebox

The types of Open Educational Resources (OER) that can be utilized include open textbooks, massive open online courses (MOOCs), modular learning materials, open access articles and journals, educational software, multimedia and simulations, and OER repositories.

Why is OER Important in Course Development?

Accessibility:
OER ensures that learning materials can be accessed by anyone, anywhere, at any time, without cost barriers.
Flexibility:
OER materials can be adapted and customized to meet the needs and learning styles of individual learners or institutions.
Collaboration:
OER fosters collaboration among educators, learners, and communities, leading to the creation of richer and more relevant learning materials.
Innovation:
OER promotes innovation in education by providing a platform for sharing ideas and developing creative learning resources.
Efficiency:
By utilizing OER, educators can save time and resources in creating effective learning materials.

Some Examples of OER Usage and Implementation

Lecturers
Use OER modules to complement classroom teaching materials, create assignments, or provide additional reading resources.
Students
Create tutorial videos based on OER materials to share with classmates.
Online Course Developers
Use OER as a guideline to develop higher-quality and more affordable online courses.
Educational Institutions
Establish an OER library to support independent and collaborative learning.

Are you excited to explore Open Educational Resources?

Open Educational Resources (OER) has the potential to revolutionize the educational landscape by facilitating broader access to quality education, fostering innovation, and enhancing collaboration in learning. As a university, let us contribute to the development and dissemination of OER to realize a more inclusive and sustainable educational environment. Start by sharing your teaching materials, collaborating with the OER community, or integrating OER into your daily teaching practices. By doing so, we can empower learners everywhere and create a more equitable future in education.