Józefa-
I have recently conducted a qualitative study with US-based higher ed faculty who create and use their own OER. Many of them commented that they have shared, collaborated, and adopted/adapted OER from others in their network in production of content and I will respond from their experiences to your questions below. I am also a learning and development manager at a private business and we’ve begun to build an intranet of sorts. We’re using the Google Workspace to produce OER-of-sorts in production of manuals, SOPs, knowledge bases, training, tutorials, etc., where my team partners with operations, sales, back office, marketing, etc., as SMEs to produce increasingly higher quality products. I’ll answer some of your questions below from my experience in my current role as well.
1. Who else do you know that has done this and adapted OER content in their institution?
As far as private industry in the US, OER/CC production isn’t thought of from my experience. Instead, those who want to share do so via social media (e.g. LinkedIn) or post on non-protected pages (such as those that appear in Google Searches for templates or examples). In discussing OER/CC with academics who have business/industry experience (which is a very small sample size), the notion is that you find what you can on the internet, through industry manuals, or through your network, adapt it to your own team’s needs and use materials, procedures, templates, processes, etc., in that way. It’s sharing-ish, but not CC licensed and wouldn’t be considered OER.
2. What are the key quality indicators you/they looked for when selecting OER content?
Many academics I have had the pleasure of speaking to have commented that key quality indicators are difficult to skim. OER that may look appeals via design and graphics may not have the best content and great content may come in a less appealing look. Many have commented that they either trust a source that they know (i.e. a colleague in their network) or through a repository (such as OpenStax or LibreTexts). Some institutions have used rubrics, which vary in their aim - some are looking for accessibility (e.g. contrast, font size, reading level) or content type (such as content, supplemental, and assessment, or a combination). It may be helpful to adopt a rubric from another institution or create your own as a verification.
3. What did you/they do with the adaptation e.g. how was it used?
Mostly used as a base to be added. Some have commented that they began with an OER text or resource, then added their own materials, student materials/editing, and/or other OER to build a customized material set for their demographic and their course. Many OER are at the introductory level that are widely available, and customization may be necessary over time to have a stronger resource.
4. What value did the OER content bring to the pedagogical process, if any?
Accessibility and affordability means that all students can engage in content day 1. Using OER means the resources can be interacted with fully, with students being able to edit, highlight, add to, and retain copies of the resources. OER can be used as a facilitator to bring about critical thinking, problem solving, and student ownership via co-creation. Essentially, the vulnerability of the facilitator and the materials to co-create with students goes hand-in-hand - the learning process is less about knowledge transference (i.e. gatekept information in the form of textbook and digital platform access) and more about how to use content collaboratively in higher levels of application (e.g. Bloom’s Taxonomy or Webb’s Depth of Knowledge). I think OER is the key to develop a learner-centered environment, where the course is less about getting knowledge and more about applying it. (This is a topic that I absolutely love and would be happy to continue discussion about!)
5. In hindsight, what would you/they do differently in the way they handled OER content?
Responses that I’ve encountered is more of a familiarity and comfort with handling the technical side of a repository, ebook, or other tech platform. Those who created OER in docs, pdf, or other common programs had difficulties converting them into an online platform later and commented on the hours of work it took to do so. When looking to use and house OER, it would be a good idea to have a digital platform in mind to build inside the tech as opposed to converting it later if possible.
6. Is there any perceived shame in an educator using OER content?
I’ve encountered this more with those who have NOT used OER than those who have. Shame isn’t necessarily the descriptor here that I’ve heard used, but more of being scared of a perceived loss of status, tenure opportunity, advancement in general, etc. Those who have engaged in OER that I have talked to have raved about the benefits but have all commented on the time commitment that it does take to develop (especially those who do it solo). Many have commented that their students have engaged more with them when they know the professor is using an OER as a vehicle of caring for the students. Some commented that students have not liked the OER or viewed it as less authoritative, but many reported there is a high satisfaction among students.
7. What examples do you know of ethical practice and use of OER in the private industry sector?
As commented above, I have yet to see this used in private industry. My own experience in using OER-ish materials has been limited to an intranet because we’ve wanted to keep proprietary information and procedures to ourselves as a competitive advantage. If our mid-sized company was a global leader, that may be a different story, but for now, we do not release anything to the public.
If you’d like to see more about my dissertation study on OER/OEP, please click on the link below. If you’d like to follow up with me, send me an email - alex.wanstrath@gmail.com.
Wanstrath OER/OEP Dissertation
