Author Archives: Kamil Śliwowski
About this site
Read this first. This site has one purpose – to bust myths about Open Educational Resources! There are two parts – a mythbusting guide and a quick introduction to OER.
About this site
Read this first. This site has one purpose – to bust myths about Open Educational Resources! There are two parts – a mythbusting guide and a quick introduction to OER.
OER myths need to be busted
In 2011, Poland launched the “Digital school” program, the largest ICT program in primary and secondary schools to date. The program has a large open e-textbooks component, which triggered myths to appear in the media.
OER myths need to be busted
In 2011, Poland launched the “Digital school” program, the largest ICT program in primary and secondary schools to date. The program has a large open e-textbooks component, which triggered myths to appear in the media.
OER adoption
More than ten years after the first UNESCO congress about open education on which term Open Educational Resources was coined, open resources can be found in almost every language, open policies pop up in tens of countries and companies start
OER adoption
More than ten years after the first UNESCO congress about open education on which term Open Educational Resources was coined, open resources can be found in almost every language, open policies pop up in tens of countries and companies start
Licensing models
Why CC BY and CC BY SA? These two licences are called free or fully opened license. Free licences are a kind of agreement between an author/copyright holder and the rest of the universe. In this arrangement the intellectual property
Licensing models
Why CC BY and CC BY SA? These two licences are called free or fully opened license. Free licences are a kind of agreement between an author/copyright holder and the rest of the universe. In this arrangement the intellectual property
Why do open licenses make the difference?
Most of what has been created in the 20th and 21st centuries – content to be found in libraries, archives, museums and on the Web – is still under copyright. Even if the authors’ intention was different, unless they explicitly
Why do open licenses make the difference?
Most of what has been created in the 20th and 21st centuries – content to be found in libraries, archives, museums and on the Web – is still under copyright. Even if the authors’ intention was different, unless they explicitly
Differences between OER and other digital resources – online courses, MOOC courses and others
General rights for copying and repurposing are what make OER different from any other educational resources available online free of charge. Free materials and courses such as most MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) allow users only fair use rights, or
Differences between OER and other digital resources – online courses, MOOC courses and others
General rights for copying and repurposing are what make OER different from any other educational resources available online free of charge. Free materials and courses such as most MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) allow users only fair use rights, or
What an OER is and what it is not
The term ‘Open Educational Resources’ (OER) describes any educational resources (including curriculum maps, course materials, textbooks, videos, multimedia applications, podcasts, or any other materials designed for teaching and learning) which have been made available for use under open licenses –
What an OER is and what it is not
The term ‘Open Educational Resources’ (OER) describes any educational resources (including curriculum maps, course materials, textbooks, videos, multimedia applications, podcasts, or any other materials designed for teaching and learning) which have been made available for use under open licenses –
OER are too complex and scattered for teachers to use
In most circumstances and for more teachers, who are already ICT qualified, the level of assurance you get from OER materials is enough. Most of the teachers and students use resources found on the Internet, often without any consideration about
OER are too complex and scattered for teachers to use
In most circumstances and for more teachers, who are already ICT qualified, the level of assurance you get from OER materials is enough. Most of the teachers and students use resources found on the Internet, often without any consideration about
OER are not really free
Open Educational resources are free because they are available under free licenses and they allow anyone to use and modify them for free. They can be free in terms of cost for the end user though it doesn’t mean they
OER are not really free
Open Educational resources are free because they are available under free licenses and they allow anyone to use and modify them for free. They can be free in terms of cost for the end user though it doesn’t mean they
OER are not able to generate revenue so they can not be a business model
OER, same as open source, can create revenue in many different and successful ways. From services like search engines or platforms built around resources, selling custom versions or providing implementations. From a business perspective OER projects are more like startups
OER are not able to generate revenue so they can not be a business model
OER, same as open source, can create revenue in many different and successful ways. From services like search engines or platforms built around resources, selling custom versions or providing implementations. From a business perspective OER projects are more like startups
OER are not sustainable
Discussing sustainability of OER is a rather complex issue and depends on many factors. It is very strongly linked to the business approach and can be guaranteed by choosing (adequate) business models that generate revenue. The sustainability becomes a priority
OER are not sustainable
Discussing sustainability of OER is a rather complex issue and depends on many factors. It is very strongly linked to the business approach and can be guaranteed by choosing (adequate) business models that generate revenue. The sustainability becomes a priority
OER are forcing internationalisation and common core standards to different educational systems
One of the main values of OER is that they can be used worldwide independently of the system of education and national curricula frameworks. Those OER which licenses guarantee freedom of re-use and distribution can be localised and adapted to
OER are forcing internationalisation and common core standards to different educational systems
One of the main values of OER is that they can be used worldwide independently of the system of education and national curricula frameworks. Those OER which licenses guarantee freedom of re-use and distribution can be localised and adapted to
There are many OER available under different licenses. It’s the same level of difficulty to recognize and legally use compatible materials
This is true that OER published under particular Creative Commons licence may not be compatible with each other but traditional copyright is not straightforward either and may lead to even more questions than compatibility of CC licences itself. The first
There are many OER available under different licenses. It’s the same level of difficulty to recognize and legally use compatible materials
This is true that OER published under particular Creative Commons licence may not be compatible with each other but traditional copyright is not straightforward either and may lead to even more questions than compatibility of CC licences itself. The first
Authors will not agree to such terms of open publication
Considering this issue from the very formal point of view, authors by signing a contract for creating a work (or by developing it as part of their duties) very often agree to transfer copyrights on fields of use defined in
Authors will not agree to such terms of open publication
Considering this issue from the very formal point of view, authors by signing a contract for creating a work (or by developing it as part of their duties) very often agree to transfer copyrights on fields of use defined in
OER support IT industry profit by forcing schools and teachers to buy more IT equipment
A common impression of forcing schools and teachers to buy new hardware might have been caused on one hand by the scope of different OER initiatives and programmes in which development of OER is in line with process of equipping
OER support IT industry profit by forcing schools and teachers to buy more IT equipment
A common impression of forcing schools and teachers to buy new hardware might have been caused on one hand by the scope of different OER initiatives and programmes in which development of OER is in line with process of equipping
OER are applicable only for distance learning or highly digital/ICT fulled education
Although the use of OER very often supports ICT education and most of popular OER projects are digital, OER and digital resources are not synonyms. Openly licensed content is produced in any medium: paper-based text, video, audio or computer-based multimedia.
OER are applicable only for distance learning or highly digital/ICT fulled education
Although the use of OER very often supports ICT education and most of popular OER projects are digital, OER and digital resources are not synonyms. Openly licensed content is produced in any medium: paper-based text, video, audio or computer-based multimedia.
OER deepen digital divide in educational system
OER are dedicated to eliminate the education divide by making high-quality learning materials freely available to educators and learners around the world. A common mistake made when talking about OERs is that they are the same as digital resources which
OER deepen digital divide in educational system
OER are dedicated to eliminate the education divide by making high-quality learning materials freely available to educators and learners around the world. A common mistake made when talking about OERs is that they are the same as digital resources which
Public funded OER can led to politics dependent textbooks/resources
How educational resources are funded depends on a country, in many of which textbooks and other resources are already publicly funded (or co-sponsored) and selection and certification process of such resources also depends on educational system. What creates highest risk
Public funded OER can led to politics dependent textbooks/resources
How educational resources are funded depends on a country, in many of which textbooks and other resources are already publicly funded (or co-sponsored) and selection and certification process of such resources also depends on educational system. What creates highest risk
OER adoption is just too radical for my institution
Adopting an OER program does not mean that you have to throw away all your closed resources on day one. A lot of OER are developed as a supplement to the current teaching methods, especially in primary and secondary education
OER adoption is just too radical for my institution
Adopting an OER program does not mean that you have to throw away all your closed resources on day one. A lot of OER are developed as a supplement to the current teaching methods, especially in primary and secondary education
OER can led to using unverified materials by teachers and students
The level of assurance you can get from OER materials can be the same as with traditional materials: high when from institutionally reviewed process, lower when not reviewed or just found on the web. It depends on the country, but
OER can led to using unverified materials by teachers and students
The level of assurance you can get from OER materials can be the same as with traditional materials: high when from institutionally reviewed process, lower when not reviewed or just found on the web. It depends on the country, but
