Common Core Could Increase Interest In Open Educational Resources

An analysis in T.H.E. Journal (3/19, Waters) reports that "open educational resources" was a prominent buzzword in education circles in 2012, citing "exciting predictions" in education technology media that the concept would provide high-quality content at low costs and would eliminate traditional textbooks. "Now, as the implementation dates for the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) loom large, many districts are facing the need to buy new instructional materials aligned with the standards, and OER is a hotter topic than ever. The inventory of these open resources is exploding, and advocates such as the OER Commons and Achieve are providing districts and teachers with tools for determining the degree of standards alignment of these materials." The piece continues to explore why OER hasn't taken off to a greater degree in US classrooms.