Why do folks use OER as if it will save the world?

I wrote two posts about use of the term “OER”. Here’s the one I’ve chosen to publish.

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I’m at OER10 in the UK–and I have a big concern.

I’m concerned that educators and researchers are using OER (Open Educational Resources) as if it’s the silver bullet to solving all of the problems we have with using technology to enhance teaching and learning.

I know my friend David Wiley has written on OERs as the new learning object–or maybe put more precisely that OERs can overcome many of the challenges that plagued the “learning object” movement. (And David knows a bit about learning objects, he did his dissertation on the subject and has been a worldwide thought leader in the field.) I’m pretty sure that David understands the difference (I used to work with him at COSL).

But I’m concerned that most folks are just using OER as a replacement for “learning objects”, and that we’re still not focusing on the “right” thing. Instead we’ve got a new word du jour.

Really, it’s about learning.