Pros and cons for insitutions 'going OER' (draft in development)

Pros

Cons

‘Going open’ would be popular with some individual teachers, middle or senior managers

Other teachers, middle and senior managers may have a different (collective or otherwise) view

Individual staff are making their materials available on the internet already (you tube, iTunesU, flickr, etc.)

Not all staff would want to be involved – some might actively reject having their materials ‘open’

Institutions can establish policies and procedures through sharing good practice

There is work involved, HR and potentially e.g. trade unions. Maybe it is better to not ask the question

The University retains ‘ownership’ and materials are ‘licensed’ for others to use

It is not really clear to teachers what rights they have over materials that they create here

Sharing the results of the public purse

Giving away the ‘crown jewels’

Making materials more accessible for our own (and other) students

Making materials accessible to ‘third parties who might abuse/make money out of it

Exposure to new markets – students, collaborators, public

Need to monitor ‘quality’ – branding means it should be of a particular standard

Accessing materials from other institutions

Not likely to want to use others’ materials

Having a back up/single place where materials are searchable/stored/available from

There needs to be some metadata

Funding for Jorum Open might be cut without warning (e.g. Intute)

Whole Programmes/Modules right down to individual images could be made ‘open’

Any non-owned stuff would have to be removed and replaced with a note of what had been there (e.g. images from texts) and the result might be useless

You would have to get agreement of all parties, and maintain materials (if they go out of date)

You can make materials available from staff and students, and find out who is using your stuff

Maybe no one would use them, or they might be criticised by others

One place from which to access video, images, podcasts, etc.

If you are doing it anyway then there doesn’t seem any advantage of having to maintain materials in Jorum Open as well as e.g. iTunesU

You can upload materials from staff, students

They might include something which does not conform to good practice e.g. GMC guidance; the institution may be sued

There is funding available to be involved now (through the OER programme)

It is not clear how the ‘cake’ will be cut or how resource flows to reward those with content

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