Beyond the Classroom: The Advantages of Open Educational Resources and Digital Collections in University Instruction and Research

Digital access platforms to special collections and archived materials paired with the increase in open educational resources (OER) has caused significant change in the tools scholars and instructors use to access, retrieve, and share knowledge. The usage of digital collections and OERs in instruction and research has cultivated a new tier in academic collaboration and analysis that provides quality visual context that extends beyond the classroom. OERs also promote a more interactive hybrid method of teaching and learning that creates space for library resources, specifically digital collections to be integrated into the curriculum and instructional aims of institutions. Together, digital collections and OERs work congruently to support the platform of Open Education, which is to link teaching, learning, and collaborative culture. This poster presents on the economic, social, and academic advantages of including OERs and digital collections in university teaching and learning.