Question Marks

So Why Use OER?

The obvious answer to that question, of course, is to help our students save money. But there are many other reasons why OER may be a good option for your course. Perhaps the most comprehensive literature review on the subject of OER identifies a number of ways in which OER may benefit both students and faculty. You can read John Hilton III's rather lengthy article if you're super interested in the subject and/or amazingly dedicated and/or really have nothing else to do at the end of the semester. Alternatively, you can watch the video below that summarizes Hilton's research:

It's important to note that Hilton identified several reasons to accept these results with some caution. First, many studies did not compare/contrast how students used OERs compared to traditional books, and Hilton points out that whether students read in an online or in a print format is a variable that may have quite a bit to do with learning gains. Second, Hilton levels fairly harsh critiques at several of the research designs. Still, he concludes that in aggregate, research shows that OER can have important benefits.