मुक्त शैक्षिक साधन (Open educational resources / OER)
मुक्त शैक्षिक साधन (Open educational resources / OER) उन शैक्षिक साधनों को कहते हैं जो निर्बाध रूप से प्राप्त किए जा सकते हैं. इसके अन्तर्गत अध्ययन, अध्यापन, अनुसन्धान आदि के लिए उपयोगी टेक्स्ट, मिडिया, और अन्य डिजिटल वस्तुएँ आतीं हैं. मुक्त शैक्षिक साधन, सभी लोगों के लिए उपलब्ध शैक्षिक साधन हैं जिनका ज्यों का त्यों उपयोग किया जा सकता है, उन्हें एक दूसरे से मिलाया-जुलाया जा सकता है, या उन्हें और बेहतर बनाकर किसी लाइसेंस के अन्तर्गत पुनर्वितरित किया जा सकता है.
Importance of OER
Open Education Resources (OER) are important for many reasons. One reason, as the above chart illustrates, is the cost of textbooks, which is rising at a rate higher than most other consumer goods. Given the rising cost of tuition at many institutions, many students simply cannot afford to buy textbooks. OER is a way to make sure every student has access to course materials, with cost taken out of the equation.
OER also allows faculty to create material that is customized for their classes. Where most textbooks will have their strengths and weaknesses, OER material allows a faculty member to pull only strong material into their class.
OER also represents an opportunity to have one's own materials enhanced. By allowing material to be modified by other faculty around the world, an OER creator has the chance to see material used in ways never imagined. New sections and chapters can be added and enhanced creating a work stronger than the original. That type of exposure and collaboration is simply not possible with material that lives on a local computer or only in print.
Finally, OER gives faculty a wide variety of material to draw upon for their own classes. Imagine being given a last-minute assignment for an unfamiliar class -- a textbook might help get you up to speed but what about the syllabus? The assignments? The exams? OER gives a wide variety of materials from which to build a class without having to start from scratch.
OER is important because it provides affordable material to students, allows faculty to enhance their own work, and provides faculty with content for classes.
This short video illustrates the benefits of OER. Creative Commons and licensing will be discussed in the next module.
- expanded access to learning. Students anywhere in the world can access OERs at any time, and they can access the material repeatedly.
- scalability. OERs are easy to distribute widely with little or no cost.
- augmentation of class materials. OERs can supplement textbooks and lectures where deficiencies in information are evident.
- enhancement of regular course content. For example, multimedia material such as videos can accompany text. Presenting information in multiple formats may help students to more easily learn the material being taught.
- quick circulation. Information may be disseminated rapidly (especially when compared to information published in textbooks or journals, which may take months or even years to become available). Quick availability of material may increase the timeliness and/or relevance of the material being presented.
- showcasing of innovation and talent. A wide audience may learn of faculty research interests and expertise. A Potential students and donors may be impressed, and student and faculty recruitment efforts may be enhanced.
- ties for alumni. OERs provide an excellent way for alumni to stay connected to the institution and continue with a program of lifelong learning.
- continually improved resources. Unlike textbooks and other static sources of information, OERs can be improved quickly through direct editing by users or through solicitation and incorporation of user feedback. Instructors can take an existing OER, adapt it for a class, and make the modified OER available for others to use.
