Openness in teaching and learning provides all learners with equal opportunities for continuous learning. The advantage of open educational resources is that they are available throughout the learning process, thereby supporting deep learning. Co-development and further enhancement of educational resources are made possible through free online sharing.
The purpose of openness in teaching and learning is to expand access to and participation in education for all. Open education often takes place using digital technologies. Openness in learning diversifies opportunities for teaching, learning, knowledge creation, co-creation and sharing, and connects formal and informal learning pathways. We can enable participation in learning by lowering barriers and increasing accessibility, availability and learner-centred approaches.
Open educational resources (OER)
Open educational resources are digital teaching, learning and research materials designed for educational purposes. They are either released for general use or licensed under an open licence, granting others the right to access the materials free of charge, as well as the right to use, modify and redistribute them. Open educational resources may include courses, videos, books, articles or sets of tasks, and they may exist in any format and on any medium.
Open educational practices (OEP)
Openness in teaching and learning is not limited to open educational resources; it also enables the sharing of diverse teaching practices. Open educational practices refer to approaches that make learning and teaching transparent, shareable and adaptable. In addition to course materials, processes such as material selection, curricula, lesson plans, coursework, assessment matrices and learning objectives can be shared. In open education, pedagogy is central. A key principle for instructional design and assessment is coherence, meaning all elements of instruction should contribute to deep learning for the learner. Open educational practices also enable co-development with different experts.