Open Educational Resources: A Literature Review

Abstract

The open educational resources (OER) movement is an emerging trend in higher education contexts, primarily due to the ubiquitous use of technology and access to the internet. This literature review focuses on the concept of OER, its essential definitions, its potential benefits, its open nature, and various aspects of adoption. The research findings indicate that the OER movement has not expanded fully into educational sectors, and the level of faculty and student awareness is quite low. The research also reveals that the current status of OER adoption in educational sectors is minimal. Additionally, OER adoption has encountered several obstacles; potential users have difficulty finding the proper OER materials, and there are quality control issues with resources. However, students saved a significant amount of money when OER replaced traditional textbooks. Many critical issues related to OER adoption must be resolved, and others may arise as more faculty and students begin to use these resources.