Journal of Online Learning Research and Practice Volume 7, Number 2, 2019 | Page 12

Journal of Online Learning Research and Practice • Volume 7, Number 2 • 2019
The APUS Open Educational Resources
(OER) Conversion Project
Jose A Rodriguez and Conrad Lotze
American Public University System (APUS), USA
Abstract
By providing free and open access to learning, the Internet continues
to be a driving force in changing the educational landscape. In
the area of higher education, open educational resources (OERs)
provide students with access to no- and low-cost learning. OERs
give higher education leaders the opportunity to restructure delivery
methods of learning resources and ensure more efficient and
targeted practices. In 2017, the American Public University System
(APUS) embarked on a major university-wide initiative to restructure
all of its undergraduate courses with OERs. Much has been
written on the efficacy of OERs in a variety of educational models
throughout higher education. Although the research is replete
with studies on changing faculty perceptions of OERs, research on
the financial efficacy of OERs is still emerging. This paper, focused
on APUS’ efforts to adopt OERs, includes discussion of how such
conversions relate to APUS’s mission and vision in higher education
and the work done by others in this space. Highlighted are the
workflow aspects, various processes, involved departments, and
preliminary results.
Keywords: open educational resources (OERs), undergraduate, higher
education
El Proyecto de conversión de Recursos Educativos
Abiertos (REA) de APUS
Resumen
Al proporcionar acceso gratuito y abierto al aprendizaje, Internet
continúa siendo una fuerza impulsora para cambiar el panorama
educativo. En el área de la educación superior, los recursos educativos
abiertos (REA) brindan a los estudiantes acceso a aprendizaje
sin costo o de bajo costo. Los REA brindan a los líderes de la
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doi: 10.18278/jolrap.7.2.2