Is OER really free?
The issue of freedom and its definition has been widely debated since the advent of open licences, possibly most significantly in the Free and Open Source Software environment. Open Source and Free Software definitions specify four types of freedom:
- The freedom to run the programme, for any purpose (freedom 0).
- The freedom to study how the programme works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1).
- The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour (freedom 2).
- The freedom to improve the programme, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3).[1]
Similar considerations apply when considering licences for OER. However, there is another specific dimension of OER 'freedom' that warrants explicit discussion, and that is the notion of cost. Many proponents of OER advocate that a key benefit of open content is that it is 'free' (i.e. it does not cost anything to download – leaving aside costs of bandwidth, of course – and use). This is literally true: by definition, open content can be shared with others without asking permission and without paying licence fees. However, simplistic assertions that OER is free – and by extension that use of OER will cut costs of educational delivery – mask some important cost considerations.
Educational institutions that are serious about teaching and learning will need to ensure that their spending on personnel and other related expenses reflects a sustained effort to invest in creating more effective teaching and learning environments for their students. This will require investment in, among other things, the following:
- Developing and improving curricula.
- Ongoing programme and course design.
- Planning of contact sessions with students.
- Development and procurement of quality teaching and learning materials.
- Design of effective assessment activities.
Many educational institutions do not yet make such investments in a planned and deliberate way, but it is an essential part of their core function.
So, how does this relate to OER? As educational institutions make strategic decisions to increase their levels of investment in design and development of better educational programmes, the most cost-effective way to do this is to embrace open licensing environments and harness existing OER.
- ↑ Taken from www.openclinical.org/opensource.html.
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