The International Journal of Open Educational Resources (IJOER) is a bi-annual, open access, double-blind peer-reviewed academic publication sponsored by the American Public University System (APUS) and the Policy Studies Organization (PSO). The aim of IJOER is to provide a venue for the publication of quality academic research with an emphasis on representing Open Educational Research in teaching, learning, scholarship, and policy.
Type of Material:
Open (Access) Journal-Article
Recommended Uses:
This site would be used as a one-stop shop for reviewing research about OER. Instructors could use the information to construct lecture material or assign research of the site for homework or team presentations. Students could refer to the site to learn more about the topic of OER. At the highest level, teachers or students could contribute OER research for peer review or articles for the blog.
Technical Requirements:
The journal is browser based and no special technical tools are needed.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
From their Mission Statement:
The aim of IJOER is to provide a venue for the publication of quality academic research with an emphasis on representing Open Educational Resources in teaching, learning, scholarship and policy.
The IJOER publishes articles that focus on topics based upon the Open Educational Research Hub’s 11 hypotheses developed by de los Arcos, Farrow, Perryman, Pitt, & Weller (2014). The OER Research Hub “provides a focus for research, designed to give answers to the overall question ‘What is the impact of OER on learning and teaching practices?’ and identify the particular influence of openness” (de los Arcos, et al., 2014, p. 2)
Target Student Population:
Professional, Upper Level
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Review of the journal requires no special skills or knowledge.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This site exists to support the OER Research Hub’s 11 Hypotheses which are listed below. As such all materials present valid and relevant concepts that should be of interest to all instructors and administrators.
Performance: Use of OER leads to improvement in student performance and satisfaction.
Openness: The Open Aspect of OER creates different usage and adoption patterns than other online resources.
Access: Open education models lead to more equitable access to education, serving a broader base of learners than traditional education.
Retention: Use of OER is an effective method for improving retention for at-risk students.
Reflection: Use of OER leads to critical reflection by educators, with evidence of improvement in their practice.
Finance: OER adoption at an institutional level leads to financial benefits for students and/or institutions.
Indicators: Informal learners use a variety of indicators when selecting OER.
Support: Informal learners adopt a variety of techniques to compensate for the lack of formal support, which can be supported in open courses
Transition: Open education acts as a bridge to formal education, and is complementary, not competitive, with it.
Policy: Participation in OER pilots and programs leads to policy change at an institutional level.
Assessment: Informal means of assessment are motivators for learning with OER.
The content is of high quality.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
As outlined above the journal is used to support research in the 11 hypothesis which create the foundation for knowledge about OER. After using the materials at this site, students would be able to describe OER in detail, submit a manuscript for peer review, or submit an article for the OER and Beyond Blog. It is a great resource for those looking for research into OER implementation.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The IJOER is very easy to navigate with clearly labeled tabs, buttons and menus. The creators use appropriate images to keep the site engaging and to help the user visualize the text content. The site's drop down menus allow for easy navigation.
Submission Guidelines include information for various roles and areas of interest including: Information for AuthorsManuscript GuidelinesIJOER Blog GuidelinesOpen Access PolicyAwardsPublication ScheduleInformation for LibrariansInformation for Readers
Also as stated in the site:
"Interactivity: Additionally, the IJOER digital version of each issue leverages the use of interactive features within the published articles. Components such as videos, audio, slideshows, definition rollovers, animations, links to resources, images, social media, etc. bring research to life, thus providing authors the opportunity to present their work in a non-linear, innovative fashion, while providing readers the ability to be drawn into “the story” through this interactive experience."
Concerns:
None
Creative Commons:
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