Embracing OER Institutionwide

A new study finds that open educational resources are a big hit with some community college students and faculty, but that these textbook alternatives won’t reach their full potential until administrators embrace them.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/04/20/teachers-students-love-oer-officials-not-all-board

While the study’s findings are mostly positive, there remain problems nationally with adoption of OER by faculty members themselves. These challenges exist despite efforts by some states and individual colleges, philanthropies and even the federal government to launch initiatives designed to fund the creation and build the awareness and ultimately adoption of high-quality open materials.

“Leadership matters to adoption and scale, and that leadership shows through in strategy and in where resources are allocated,” she said. “Without these things, any of these interventions are just an ad hoc exercise that won’t transform teaching at an institution.”