Open Educational Resources in the Development of Digital Learning Environment

Abstract

During the period of the forced transition of universities around the world to the online education, the demand for digital free access services has grown. A unique opportunity has appeared to supplement and develop the theoretical and methodological provisions of online learning based on the analysis of the empirical results that characterize the relevance and effectiveness of the digital environment parts. The educational materials free available at the Internet are the part of the digital environment, which are combined into the concept of open educational resources (OER). The purpose of the study is to assess the relevance of OER for faculty, systematize the main ways of working with them, identify the motives and barriers for the development of OER by faculty. The study conducted among the lecturers at Russian universities showed the high importance and value of OER for their teaching and methodological activities to create and develop the training course content in digital environment. More than half of the faculty staff create and distribute their copyright materials on the Internet on their own initiative for the convenience of their students. The faculty and students freely exchange educational materials using a variety of web services. In conditions of increasing demands on faculty and content of training-course, OER is a valuable resource for educational activities. The analysis of the regulatory framework revealed a lack of OER policy in Russian universities, which is one of the barriers for lecturers to create OER. The results of the study made it possible to develop recommendations for the development of OER in the field of higher education: consolidate the concept of OER in the regulatory framework of education, provide methodological and legal support for the creation and use of OER by faculty, and conduct an information campaign to reveal the prospects and advantages of using OER in higher education.

A knowledge management system in the strategic development of universities

“…Confirmed high intellectual potential of employees (scientists and lecturers) [3,40] The ability to use intellectual potential from the business environment through graduates [59] Employees' acceptance of the value of the free exchange of knowledge for the development of education and science [42,60] Academic competition among faculty staff [36] Processes Conducting research and educational programs in a large number of fields [61] Diverse approaches to forming and supporting creative teams and projects Priority for fulfilling the public mission of science and education [35] Integration and intensive interaction with external communities [3,40] Strict regulation and control by public authorities of HE [62] Technologies External content sources: digital libraries, databases Scattered internal sources of content: teaching materials, scientific reports, regulations, etc.…”

Digital technologies in modern higher educational space: analysis of risks and threats

“…The intensive introduction of digital technologies into the higher educational space, along with certain advantages [1], also generates a number of risks associated with organizational, substantive and methodological issues [2]. The introduction of digital technologies in the educational process of higher education entails the creation of a digital educational environment, the development of which takes a long time for both the teaching staff and students.…”