In class this week there was a topic that caught my eye. This topic is Open Educational Resources (OER). Prior to the class, this formal name is not something I was familiar with. Upon looking further into online resources, I have come up with my own definition of this topic: Open Educational resources are ever-evolving materials found online that are openly licensed and free that enhance student engagement and ensure the most up-to-date information is what is being learned. This makes me so excited that teachers and students who would not have had access to such materials because of a barrier (finances, location, ….) now it is possible! I took some time to investigate a few of the many OER available. I came across Khan Academy, here I realized how much amazing information and resources there are in just one site for students and teachers. Throughout all the courses this semester I am noticing a connection on the topic of a Growth Mindset. When I found this topic was also on Khan Academy and read through the information available on the site it helped me appreciate that in this class (technology and Innovation) I know that using a blog is completely new to me but that I can and will feel more confident the more I immerse myself in the technology. It may be scary at first but there are so many OPE resources to help guide ourselves and students in whichever topic we cover.
Video by John Legend on Khan Academy
Although OER have so many positive benefits I also wanted to see if there are any limitations. I found an article called “Open Education Resources Offer Many Benefits: How to Remove Obstacles” and it described one limitation that resonated with me. This limitation is “Quality Concerns”. With OER evolving so rapidly I am concerned that these resources could be not up to date or incorrect. However, with this being said I believe the benefits outweigh the risks in that there are so many OER available that it is possible to validate a resource by confirming this information is also being said in another OER. Kind of like a double check!
I am beyond excited to see technology through OER do so much good in the world today by providing accessibility to all. What are your opinions on the benefits and limitations of OER?
References:
YouTube. (2014). John Legend: Success through effort. Khan Academy . Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://youtu.be/LUtcigWSBsw.
Vollan Okoth Ochieng Research Officer, & Razak M. Gyasi Associate Research Scientist. (2022, September 13). Open education resources offer many benefits: How to remove obstacles. The Conversation. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://theconversation.com/open-education-resources-offer-many-benefits-how-to-remove-obstacles-171687
September 27, 2022 at 1:40 pm
Great first reflection Chels! I really liked that you have a video for everyone to see. You covered all the areas. Maybe next time try and make it a little shorter? But there was a lot of great information, so maybe the length is appropriate.