Evaluating OER
Learning Objectives
At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
- Describe three aspects of an OER that should be assessed before use.
- Explain why it is necessary to assess an OER’s adaptability.
Ensuring the quality of course materials is of paramount importance. One of the ‘myths’ around OER are that they are of lower/inferior standards than traditional, paid resources. In fact, most OERs are high quality.[1]
Who Reviews OER?
You could argue that we have been crowdsourced quality control is a key feature of academia in the form of peer review. We rely on our discipline-specific peers and other experts in the field to ‘vet’ content in the form of peer review. In terms of OER, some are vetted through a formal peer review process; however, many times, the process is much more informal. Many OERs are not vetted at all and the quality control aspect is up to the faculty member wishing to adopt or adapt the content.
Many publication platforms are taking steps to encourage review. For example, the Open Textbook Library (OTL) encourages faculty members to assess open textbooks. The ‘star’ rating system and opportunity to offer comments offers and informal review system.
Some of the evaluation criteria listed below are universal, and others (such as Adaptability and Modularity) are specific to OER.[2]
We’ll be exploring these criteria for evaluation in our learning community in more depth and you’ll be applying them to a selected OER.
Clarity, Comprehensibility, and Readability
The most ubiquitous standard on this list is also the first: can the material you are considering be read and understood by your students? Although it might seem like a simple question, it is a necessary obstacle to confront when adopting a new resource for your course.
Considerations
- Is the content, including any instructions and exercises, clear and comprehensible to students?
- Is the content consistent with its language and formatting? (e.g. key terms are bold)
- Is the content well-organized in terms of sequencing and flow?
Content and Technical Accuracy
The accuracy of the content you use is also a major component of its usability in the classroom. Be sure to check for technical errors such as broken links or typos. In most cases, content accuracy will not be an issue, but some older resources may require updates.
Considerations
- Is the content accurate based on your expertise?
- Are there any factual, grammatical, or typographical errors?
- Is the interface navigable for students?
Adaptability and Modularity
Because of their open licenses, OER permit a wider range of (re)use than most traditional educational content; therefore, it is important to keep in mind how your chosen OER can be adapted. Modularity, or the ability to be broken up into smaller pieces easily, is one feature of an OER that should be preferred when possible. When creating OER, using clear chapter and unit breaks can help other instructors adopting or adapting your resource for