The Impact of OER

Impact of Open Education on different stakeholders

Learners can benefit from:

  • Applying knowledge in a wider context than their course would otherwise allow.
  • Freedom of access and enhanced opportunities for learning.
  • Support for learner-centred, self-directed and social/informal learning approaches.
  • The opportunity to test out course materials before enrolling.

Educators can benefit from:

  • Student/user feedback and open peer review
  • Reputational benefits, recognition
  • Benefits (efficiency and cultural) of collaborative approaches to teaching/learning
  • Reaching a wider range of learners

Educational institutions can benefit from:

  • Recognition and enhanced reputation
  • Wider availability of their academic content (linking to widening participation agenda)
  • Efficiencies in content production
  • Increased sharing of ideas and practice within the institution
  • Increased understanding of intellectual property rights (IPR)

Other sectors (e.g., employers, public bodies, private bodies, 3rd sector) benefit from:

  • Access to repurposable content
  • Input to scoping, development and endorsement of open content in their focus area
  • New potential partnerships with content providers and other sectors
  • Increased understanding of IPR, curriculum development and learning technologies