What is Open Education? What are OER? What is Open Access?
We are staring off OE Week with an introduction to Open Education. Below you will find a definition from SPARC (the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition) as well as links to many different resources that talk about Open Education broadly. Take a look at the some of the definitions and webinars below and get involved in Open Ed!
Check out these podcasts on Open Education and OER:
Open Education encompasses resources, tools and practices that are free of legal, financial and technical barriers and can be fully used, shared and adapted in the digital environment.
The foundation of Open Education is Open Educational Resources (OER), which are teaching, learning, and research resources that are free of cost and access barriers, and which also carry legal permission for open use. Generally, this permission is granted by use of an open license (for example, Creative Commons licenses) which allows anyone to freely use, adapt and share the resource—anytime, anywhere. “Open” permissions are typically defined in terms of the “5R’s”: users are free to Retain, Reuse, Revise, Remix and Redistribute these educational materials.
But what about the Why? Why Open Education?
Textbook costs should not be a barrier to education.
Students learn more when they have access to quality materials.
Technology holds boundless potential to improve teaching and learning.
Better education means a better future.
From SPARC, https://sparcopen.org/open-education/, CC BY
Open Access is the free, immediate, online availability of research articles coupled with the rights to use these articles fully in the digital environment. Open Access ensures that anyone can access and use these results—to turn ideas into industries and breakthroughs into better lives. - Definition from SPARC
As technology continues to make it easier to share research from around the world, open access has become an essential function of the research and publication process. Many journals are moving toward an open access stance to allow more freedom in the sharing of and building upon of knowledge and research.
Take a look at our Open Access Guide for more information: Open Access
From SPARC, https://sparcopen.org/open-education/, CC BY
2pm-3pm (EST): Open Education as a Tool for Equity & Inclusion: Open Ed Week Keynote Address at Portland State University
Jasmine Roberts is a renowned Open Education leader and professor of communications at The Ohio State University. She advocates for education ecosystems that are accessible, affordable, equitable, and inclusive to everyone regardless of their background. In this keynote, she will focus on how Open Educational Resources and Open Educational Practices encourage more equitable, inclusive, and diverse classrooms.