AB should support OER resources to help students: Opinion

The Government of Alberta must make meaningful moves to support its objective of having open educational resources (OER) available for students in AB, write Chaten D Jessel from the University of Calgary Students’ Union, Erik Christiansen from Mount Royal University, and Michael McNally from the University of Alberta. The authors argue that AB documents lack details on how to make OER resources more accessible, but that students need OER access to save money as tuition rises. Jessel, Christiansen, and McNally encourage AB to reinstate the AB OER initiative by providing funding, recruiting educators to volunteer with the OER initiative, and developing partnerships with provinces with OER initiatives. The authors explain that an OER coordinating and funding body would be transformative, and that instructors must also be encouraged to create OER content. The Edmonton Journal (Subscription req) (Editorial)