Open Learning Network

Over the past decade Open Educational Resources (OERs) have grown in importance on a global scale, however users in the wider community searching for content dont necessarily look for an OER when they search and even when they find useful OER content most of the time they don't know that they have found an OER. The truth is that the wider community isn't even aware of what an OER actually is, so why search for it? Over the past year I have been looking at over 3,000 websites, including 752 OER websites, to identify quick and clever tips to increase OER searchability and discoverability. Users may search for free and downloadable content, however that doesn't mean they are searching for OER content and there is no incentive for them to search specifically for OERs. In summary, my research showed several interesting issues; 1. Google and Wikipedia are the two most used search sites for learning resources; 2. Most users prefer a simple search strategy (i.e. entering one or two keywords), they dont care about using metadata until they can't find what they are searching for; 3. Good search tools allow users to continue solving their problem, providing them with some useful content / links that will further their search; and finally 4. If OERs were to focus on doing one thing and one thing alone to become more discoverable and searchable it should be to be directly linked to mainstream webpages with very high visibility, providing an "OER batch" (i.e. like CC has done with its licenses embedded on websites using CC licensing tools) in order to become more widely recognised as an OER resource.

The following sections in this book highlight several great web OER initiatives that can hopefully give us some ideas to make OER more visible and mainstream.