Chapter 7: Emerging Technologies for Learning: Using Open Education Resources (OER)

Open Education Resources are simply teaching, learning or research materials that are in the public domain or released with an intellectual property license that allows for free use, adaptation and distribution (McGill, 2013). In an unprecedented move in 2001, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced the release of almost all its courses on the Internet for free access. As a result of this move, several institutions followed prompting the number of institutions offering free or open courseware to skyrocket. The turn of events prompted the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to organize the first Global OER Forum in 2002 where the term Open Educational Resources (OER) was adopted. Later, with the partnership of Hewlett Foundation, UNESCO created a global OER Community Wiki in 2005, a move that was geared at sharing information and working collaboratively on issues surrounding the production and use of OERs.