Bringing together course material solutions to optimize teaching potential.
Bringing together course material solutions to optimize teaching potential.
September 9, 2024 • 0 comments

Exploring Collaboration Between OER and Inclusive Access

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Industry News

Funding
  • Is public college funding equitable? A new SHEEO report examines how funding gaps impact access and outcomes, raising questions about fairness in higher education support. Explore the findings here. 
  • How AI and Trump’s policies are reshaping EdTech. Explore how federal priorities and advancements in AI are reshaping market implications and business models in the education technology sector here. 
  • What’s next for special education under Trump? As Trump’s administration takes shape, changes to funding, policy, and federal oversight could have implications for students with disabilities. Explore what’s next for special education here.
Innovation, Trends, & Tools
  • The teacher shortage crisis. What’s next for K-12 schools? As districts struggle to fill classrooms, explore the root causes, current challenges, and innovative strategies to address the growing gap here.
  • 56% of teachers say classrooms lack modern tech. A new SMART survey highlights key challenges educators face, from outdated tools to barriers in integrating technology effectively. Learn more here. 
  • U.S. math scores hit surprising lows on international test. Fourth and eighth graders saw significant declines, raising concerns about a growing “crisis in the classroom.” Explore the findings and what they mean for education here.

The Course Materials Corner with Dr. Mike Moore

Academic Researcher | Course Materials Access Advocate | Intellectual Egalitarianism Champion | Higher Education

A colleague sent me an interesting article that David Harris, the Editor in Chief at OpenStax, posted on LinkedIn. The article, “OER and the Curse of Incumbency,” offers a critique of the Open Educational Resources (OER) movement’s apparent shifting dynamics, warning against complacency. According to Mr. Harris, a recent Bayview Analytics report showed declining faculty awareness and adoption of OER. He highlighted three concerning trends: decreasing urgency around growth, protective “moat-building,” and resistance to disruptive innovation.

The moat-building analogy he used in the article resonated with me the most because it helped me interpret the conversations I have had about OER the last few years and the resistance that my research has met. But what stuck out to me the most was the comments section. Generally, OER supporters are against the rise and adoption of inclusive and equitable access course materials models. However, Mr. Harris suggested in response to comments from readers that Inclusive Access models and OER models can co-exist, saying, in part, “…it’s not only beneficial but practical.” When discussing the OER vs. IA mentality with another comment, he said, “…it might have been more efficient to co-opt with IA and make OER easily available through those programs. This would have driven more awareness and access to OER for students.”

I have said and will continue to say that OER and Inclusive/Equitable Access models should, can, and need to co-exist. It is absolutely necessary that, as educators, we use every tool in our toolbox to help our students be more successful. This piece, and the subsequent comment section, is vitally important to this continued conversation because OpenStax and Mr. Harris play such a pivotal role in the Open Educational Resources space. I would really enjoy your thoughts around this topic and the role that OER and IA/EA can play in helping our students be more successful.

-M

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