Supporting the Future of Open Educational Resources
Funding
Other logistical barriers, including funding, threaten accessibility, as funding was foundational to all discussions related to OER adoptions as part of this project. There was unanimity that funding was required for successful adoption, training, sustainability, and commitment to ongoing support of adopted resources. From the lack of funding to implement a comprehensive adoption practice, to the lack of funds to develop new OERs or embed more OER practices in the pedagogy, financial resources were considered imperative.
Funding is one of the biggest challenges facing the development of long-lasting OER projects. Funding cannot be limited simply to developing pedagogical practices. Research must also be considered in OER adoption and creation. Limiting research hinders the longevity of projects and restricts the sharing of perspectives learned with others. Moreover, limiting what adopters can do with funding impedes accessibility in OER development. Ensuring that initiatives are open access and remain paywall-free is also pertinent to lasting success.
Long-term evolution and ongoing development of resources are essential to the success and reach of OERs. Collaborating with community members and paying them for their time also means that OERs can continue to evolve as accessibility resources change. Respecting expertise and human capital and paying people for their work based on their experience, knowledge, and know-how is part of, and paramount to, the success of any OER initiative. Paying stakeholders and training developers, safeguards individual rights and promotes active engagement that reflects positionality. Working with experts allows for compliance with basic tenets of accessibility and inclusion. It also allows developers to go above and beyond designing new innovative and unconventional resources without relying on outdated and overused processes.
Language Diversity
Funding for support of OER adoption and creation in Canada’s other official language, French, was also mentioned in discussions. To help support inclusion alongside accessibility, the possibility of adopting a resource in another language, especially for courses where there is social outreach and client support as part of their skills and outcomes, like health care, would help provide a more holistic and well-rounded educational experience for learners. When funding is limited, sometimes only abridged versions of a resource are available in another language.
