Open Educational Resources: Equitable and Affordable Nursing Education

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Traditional textbooks in online nursing courses can be costly and less accessible.
• Open Educational Resources (OER) offer a potential alternative to traditional course materials.
• Evaluating student experiences with OER is crucial for effective online pedagogy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate student experiences with Open Educational Resources (OER) in an online nursing research course.
• To assess the adequacy of OER in meeting student learning outcomes.
• To identify challenges and benefits associated with OER adoption in this context.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 23 students in an online nursing research course.
• Replacement of traditional textbooks with OER as the primary course material.
• Data collection through open-ended and closed-ended questionnaires on student experiences and demographics.

Main Results:

• OER were found to be cost-effective, accessible, easy to navigate, and engaging for students.
• The utilized OER adequately supported the achievement of student learning outcomes.
• A minority of students encountered difficulties primarily related to inadequate internet connectivity.

Conclusions:

• Open Educational Resources (OER) present a viable and beneficial alternative to traditional textbooks in online nursing education.
• The accessibility and cost-effectiveness of OER can enhance student learning experiences.
• Addressing potential barriers like internet access is important for equitable OER implementation.