Open Educational Resources: Barriers and Open Issues
A new study systematically maps the social, economic, and technical hurdles keeping free educational materials from widespread use.
A new research paper, 'Open Educational Resources: Barriers and Open Issues,' provides a comprehensive analysis of why free, adaptable teaching materials have failed to achieve mass adoption. Led by Pedro Henrique Dias Valle and four other authors, the study employed a four-step research method, beginning with a tertiary review of 26 secondary studies. From this analysis, the team systematically identified and classified 26 distinct barriers that impede educators, students, and institutions from engaging with OER throughout their lifecycle—from creation and adaptation to long-term maintenance and use.
These barriers are categorized into social, economic, and technical dimensions. Social barriers may include lack of awareness or institutional support, while economic hurdles involve funding for curation and technical infrastructure. Technical barriers often relate to issues of interoperability, accessibility, and tools for adaptation. The researchers designed a conceptual model to map the relationships between OER elements, these barriers, and potential mitigation actions, which was then evaluated and refined through semi-structured interviews with domain experts. The paper concludes that by systematically addressing these 26 factors, the education community can develop more effective strategies, institutional policies, and public initiatives to unlock the full potential of OER for equitable and innovative education.
- Identified 26 distinct barriers to OER adoption across social, economic, and technical dimensions.
- Research method included a tertiary study of 26 secondary studies and validation via expert interviews.
- Provides a conceptual model linking barriers to mitigation actions to guide institutional and policy strategies.
Why It Matters
Provides a clear roadmap for overcoming adoption hurdles, which is critical for achieving equitable, cost-effective, and innovative education globally.