Dive Brief:
- A survey of more than 500 faculty members reveals that open educational resources (OER) in higher ed could grow to become the primary digital learning resource in the next five years, tripling from 4% to 12%.
- STEM courses, such as computing and mathematics, yielded the highest use of the technology and associated supplemental materials.
- More than 70% of faculty members not currently using OER expect to use, or to learn how to use the materials in the future.
Dive Insight:
While the introduction of digital teaching and learning materials is inevitable, it is the implementation of software and training for faculty that could present the biggest problems. While many platforms are built with user-friendliness in mind, others require and cost for faculty to learn how to integrate these systems with existing grading or assessment programs.
Academic officials and IT experts should look to work with vendors to determine the best integration of tech elements in learning and service provision. But more than that, campuses should be in tune with the willingness of faculty to use a new system, and how it will best benefit various student populations using the technology.