Supporting OER Adoption
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Apurva Ashok
Surveys have shown a misconception among faculty that OER are digital-only materials, though this false belief has begun to wane over the years (Seaman and Seaman 2021). While most OER are created on the web, they can also be made available in print and at a low cost. Some non-text OER have benefits that print cannot override; however, most open textbooks can easily be optimized for print.
Why Print OER?
There are several reasons why someone might require or prefer a printed alternative to digital OER: accessibility, connectivity, long-term access, print preference, and social legitimacy.
Ensuring accessibility may necessitate print OER. Readers with a learning or visual impairment, such as dyslexia or limited vision, may require a physical copy of the resource to improve comprehension and aid learning (Aesoph 2020). While screen readers and other technologies can work well to make materials accessible on computers, instructors can ensure they meet students’ needs by having materials available in alternative formats. In some regions, this may also be a legal requirement.
People in rural areas, low-income households, and regions without fiber networks may face internet connectivity issues that make physical OER a necessity for them. Since OER aim to be global and widely usable, it is imperative that people can have equitable access to them regardless of their location. Even North American OER creators should remember that many students in rural towns and other remote areas will need to be accommodated so they have as much access to the material as others living in metropolitan areas. Additionally, issues with bandwidth mean that students are not able to download the assigned OER in a timely fashion, or at all. Some families may only own one computer, which means that at-home learners may not have enough time with the device to access the materials thoroughly or on a consistent basis. In other cases, such as accessing an OER textbook over the phone, the device may not be optimal for using the OER. In these situations, printed OER are an invaluable alternative to their digital-only counterparts.
Making OER more accessible is not the only reason to consider print versions. Being able to retain materials is one of the five essential components of OER (Wiley 2014). At the core of the idea of OER is that readers have the right to make, own, and control educational resources. Physical copies help fulfill this condition and offer more protection around privacy and surveillance. Moreover, whereas certain digital learning materials may become unavailable at the end of a term, print OER give students the freedom to easily retain physical copies well after the course is over. It is also important to ensure that students have the ability to download and retain a digital copy of the open textbook (especially as digital OER are more frequently updated than their print counterparts). Print versions, on the other hand, are n