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The free and open publication of course materials (OpenCourseWare or OCW) was initially
undertaken by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and other universities primarily
to share educational resources among educators (Abelson, 2007). OCW, however, and
more in general open educational resources (OER),1 have also provided well-documented
opportunities for all learners, including the so-called ?informal learners? and ?independent
learners? (Carson, 2005; Mulder, 2006, p. 35). Universities have also increasingly documented
clear benefits for specific target groups such as secondary education students and
lifelong learners seeking to enter formal postsecondary education programs.
In addition to benefitting learners, OCW publication has benefitted the publishing institutions
themselves by providing recruiting advantages. Finally enrollment figures from some
institutions indicate that even in the case of the free and open publication of materials
from online programs, OCW does not negatively affect enrollment. This paper reviews
evaluation conducted at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health (JHSPH), and Open Universiteit Nederland (OUNL) concerning
OCW effects on higher education participation and student recruitment.

Creators: 
Carson, Stephen
Kanchanaraksa, Sukon
Gooding, Ira
Mulder, Fred
Schuwer, Robert
Year: 
2012
License Condition: Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0  
Type: 
Journal Articles