Open educational practices in higher education: institutional adoption and challenges

Abstract

Open educational resources and open education practices have the potential to lower costs and increase participation in higher education. One hundred and ten individuals from higher education institutions around the world participated in a survey aimed at identifying the extent to which higher education institutions are currently implementing open educational resources and open educational practices. The study explores the drivers and challenges faced by institutions considering the implementation of collaborative assessment and accreditation services for courses based on open educational resources, such as the Open Educational Resource University concept. Differences between institutions that are participating in the Open Educational Resources University and non-members are examined. Results from the study indicate that although higher education institutions are aware of, and interested in, open educational resources and open educational practices, there are a number of challenges that need to be overcome to achieve their potential.

Keywords:

• open educational resources
• OERs
• open educational practices
• open educational resource university (OERu)

Acknowledgement

The project was funded in part by a USQ Early Career Research Grant. The author thanks Dr Wayne Mackintosh, the founding director of the OER Foundation and Gabi Witthaus, Teaching Fellow at the University of Leicester for their support and collaboration during this project.