SIIA today released the “Guide on the Use of Open Educational Resources in K-12 and Postsecondary Education.” This Guide provides a framework for understanding open educational resources (OER), and it examines development and implementation costs, current business models, government and philanthropy’s role, and other considerations around the use of OER.
The Guide includes the following:
- OER Definition, including full explanations of related copyright and licensing issues
- Total Cost of Development/Ownership of instructional materials, including implications for those creating and implementing OER
- Business/Funding Models being used to develop and support OER by content developers and aggregators, both for-profit and non-profit
- Government Initiatives, including a sampling of key federal, state and international OER policies and grants
- OER Frequently Asked Questions
The Guide was developed under the direction of the SIIA OER working group. It was authored by independent consultants Sue Collins of CollinsConsults and Peter Levy of Learning in Motion. Their knowledge, perseverance, and commitment to excellence made this document possible. The Guide is available to all under a CC-BY license and is especially crafted to inform legislators, government officials, education leaders, faculty, and content developers and aggregators.
Karen Billings is Vice President for the Education Division at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Education Team on Twitter at @SIIAEducation