Exploring Open Educational Resources for Schools

Open educational resources for schools refer to teaching and learning materials that are available through the Internet for everyone to use. There are open educational resources for schools that can be used by an instructors and students for an educational institution or even a self-learner. The examples of Open Educational Resources for schools are full courses, course modules, syllabi, lectures, coursework assignments, quizzes, laboratory and classroom activities, pedagogical materials, games, simulations, and many other resources that can be stored via digital media from sources all over the world.

Although informational content in its pure form covers a significant effect to learning and teaching, it will be helpful to consider open educational resources for schools depending on their levels of granularity and focus on the degree through which information content is embedded within a learning activity. This classification is as follows:

• Digital Assets. This normally consists of a single file such as an image, video or audio clip. This is sometimes called a 'raw media asset'.
• Information Objects. It is a structured aggregation of digital assets that is designed for the sole purpose of presenting information.
• Learning Objects. This is an aggregation of one or more digital assets that represents an educationally meaningful stand-alone unit.
• Learning Activities. These are tasks involving interactions with information that will help achieve a specific learning goal or objective.
• Learning Design. These are structured sequences of information and activities that aim to promote learning.

Open Educational Resources for schools has the aim of providing open access to education resources of high quality to anyone anywhere in the world. Based on the growing popularity of the Internet and the recognition by governments and academic institutions to the role of online and virtual environments in the advancement of learning, the number of programmes and projects associated with Open Educational Resources for schools will be expected to grow quickly over the years.