Evaluating OER

This week, we read articles discussing the importance of evaluating open educational resources. These articles highlight that technology has allowed data to be collected and analyzed more easily. It is highly critical that those who create OER books or other instructional materials assess their effectiveness. One of the criticisms we sometimes hear about OER books is that they are of lower quality than traditional ones. It is necessary to evaluate OER books to improve their quality continually. In addition to using evaluation rubrics, there are many ways to assess OER books, such as end-of-chapter surveys, A/B testing, and usability testing. Another option would be to incorporate an end-of-semester survey for teachers who use OER books in their classes. The teachers' survey could help us understand how teachers felt about the book and what they liked or disliked. In all of these articles, the authors attempt to convey the notion that instructors and instructional designers take the evaluation process seriously and that this practice is incorporated into our commitment to producing high-quality OER materials.