Meta-syntheses of OER Transition in Online Higher Education

Abstract

This article is a meta-analysis of research on the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in educational communities. OER’s are free educational resources that are openly available on the internet for faculty or student use (as cited in Annand, 2015). According to Senack & Donahue (2016) the cost of textbooks can cause an undue burden on students and hinder their educational experience. OER’s are given consideration and in use in some educational environments as a means of lowering textbooks costs for students. This article further addresses research regarding student and faculty response to the use of OER’s in the higher education milieu. Research demonstrates a divide among students, i.e. some students that appreciate the open availability of OER’s, but others who prefer printed materials for their educational experience (Brandle et. Al, 2019). The research also speaks to faculty perception regarding the adoption of OER’s. Faculty seek institutional support through provision in their schedules for time and investment needed to fully implement OER’s (Annad, 2015). The authors provide research that indicates the importance of faculty being educated on the use of these resources and given consideration in the application of their use. The article finally reports the results of the use of OER’s in educational communities.