Keynote – It’s Free, So What?

You found some online stuff to incorporate into a class – so what? Proponents of open educational resources (OER) often focus on cost reduction as the key benefit and rationale for adoption of open content. While OER has been demonstrated as an effective savings strategy, the potential of open content goes further. This presentation presents an analysis of what “open” really means, and a discussion of OER’s potential to make a real difference at many organizational and policy levels. Using current policy examples and parallels with free and open-source software (F/OSS) development, it examines leverage available to OER adopters and suggests practices for educators at all levels of decision-making authority. #TCCSoWhat

Paul McKimmy, Ed.D., is a faculty member in the University of Hawai`i-Manoa department of Educational Technology. He serves as Director of Technology and Distance Programs for the College of Education where he herds the cats in instructional support, technical services, and distance learning design teams. Professionally, he gets excited about learning technical skills; leveraging open-source software; creating student success and maintaining a mild caffeine buzz. Personally, he dabbles in DIY, stand-up paddling, gaming, and occasional attempts at fitness. He is passionate about his 5-year old daughter and hopes that his professional endeavors will positively impact her educational experiences as she grows up.