Barriers, incentives, and benefits of the open educational resources (OER) movement: An exploration into instructor perspectives

Open educat ional resource (OER) barriers, incentives, and benefits are at the forefront of educator and institution interests as global use of OER evolves. Research into OER use, perceptions, costs, and outcomes is becoming more prevalent; however, it is still in its infancy. Understanding barriers to full adoption, administration, and acceptance of OER is paramount to fully supporting its growth and success in education worldwide. The purpose of this research was to replicate and extend Kursun, Cagiltay and Can's (2014) Turkish study to include international participants. Kursun, et al. surveyed OpenCourseWare (OCW) faculty on their perceptions of OER barriers, incentives and benefits. Through replication, these findings provide a glimpse into the reality of the international educators' perceptions of barriers, incentives and benefits of OER use to assist in the creation of practical solutions and actions for both policy-makers and educators alike. The results of this replication study indicate that barriers to OER include institutional policy, lack of incentives and a need for more support and education in the creating, using and sharing of instructional materials. A major benefit to OER identified by educators is the continued collegial atmosphere of sharing and lifelong learning.