The use of open educational resources (OER) as primary courseware in higher education may triple over the next five years, according to a Cengage survey of more than 500 faculty members. Findings also revealed that the majority of current non-OER users would be open to using OER in their courses.
“Being able to afford a higher education—from tuition to living expenses and course materials—continues to be a challenge for many students. At Cengage, we are constantly working with faculty to create new, affordable learning options that are high quality and engaging.” – Cheryl Costantini, VP, Cengage Unlimited Product, Cengage.
Key findings:
- OER use could grow to comprise 12 percent of the primary courseware market and 19 percent of the supplemental adoption market within five years.
- Usage differed greatly by subject—Mathematics (13 percent) and Computing (11 percent) had the highest usage of OER, while English (2 percent) and Psychology (1 percent) had the lowest.
- Among faculty members who are not current users of OER, more than 77 percent said they either expected to use OER or would consider using OER.
Relevant Resources:
New Higher Ed Survey: OER May Triple in Use as Primary Courseware Within Five Years