phd science oer

• Directories
• Benefits of OER
• Find Open Textbooks
• Open Educational Resources in Social Sciences
• Open Educational Resources in Arts & Humanities
• Open Educational Resources in Sciences
• Open Educational Resources in Engineering
• Open Educational Resources in Business
• Open Educational Resources for Language Learning: Spanish
• Open Educational Resources for Language Learning: French
• Open Educational Resources in Health Sciences
• Author and Publish OER
• Manifold & Pressbooks: What’s the Difference?
• Creative Commons Licensing
• Open Pedagogy
• Start Your Research
• Research Guides
• University of Washington Libraries
• Library Guides
• UW Libraries
• Open Educational Resources and Open Textbooks

Open Educational Resources and Open Textbooks: Open Educational Resources in Sciences

Science open textbooks.

• OpenStax Textbooks - Science High quality, peer-reviewed textbooks in Chemistry, Astronomy, Physics, Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Openly licensed and 100% free.To access faculty-only materials, create a free OpenStax account.
• Open Textbook Libary - Science Complete textbooks that have been reviewed by a variety of college and university faculty, and can be downloaded for no cost, or printed at low cost. All textbooks are either used at multiple higher education institutions; or affiliated with an institution, scholarly society, or professional organization.
• OER Commons Open Textbooks by Subject A large repository that includes all kinds of Open Educational Resources. Use the search limiters to narrow by education level, material type (i.e. Textbooks) and subject.

Science OER

• Mason OER Metafinder (MOM) The Mason OER Metafinder searches across 21 different repositories (including OpenStax, OER Commons and MERLOT) as well as sites like HathiTrust, DPLA, Internet Archive and NYPL Digital Collections. Please check the rights of any item you use. Resources found in MOM may be Open Access but not OER.
• OASIS Openly Available Sources Integrated Search (OASIS) is a search tool for finding open content, including textbooks, courses, course modules, audiobooks, video and more.
• Introduction to OER for Biology A collection of free and openly licensed resources that have been subject to a peer-review process and/or that have been selected for use by faculty in the California community colleges system. Open content includes webinars, courses and images.

Student Created Science OER

Open Pedagogy in the Sciences

• Resources for Open Pedagogical Practices in Open Science List of resources curated by Karen Cangialosi, Professor of Biology, Keene State College

Open Access Science Textbooks

Open Access books are free to read online and may also be available for download.  Unlike OER, Open Access books do not generally come with a license that allows for derivative works.  See: Open Access & Open Education: Similarities and Difference s

• National Academies Press - Computers and Information Technology Open computer and information technology textbooks from the National Academies Press (NAP).

Science OER Examples

• The Mind of the Universe Videos
• << Previous: Open Educational Resources in Arts & Humanities
• Next: Open Educational Resources in Engineering >>
• Last Updated: Feb 29, 2024 6:17 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.uw.edu/oer

• EARLY LITERACY
• PhD Science Texas
• Eureka Math TEKS Edition
• Explore PhD Science TEKS Edition
• Access Support Resources
• Obtain Digital Access
• Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Wonder, Investigate, Know

PhD Science TEKS Edition

In 2020, the Texas Education Agency partnered with   Great Minds ®   to develop high-quality materials for Grades K—5 as an open educational resource. PhD Science ®  TEKS Edition   and   PhD Science in Sync TEKS Edition   are fully aligned to TEKS standards and are free to Texas educators as a part of this initiative.

Since then our phenomenon-based program has helped schools across the state attain remarkable gains in student achievement and engagement. Read below to learn more about our print, digital, and support resources created specifically for Texas.

PHD SCIENCE TEKS EDITION RESOURCES

Free Resources to Support Your Usage of PhD Science  TEKS Edition

Access our one–stop shop for all things PhD Science  TEKS Edition . This page is loaded with resources and information that will help teachers unlock the greatness in every child.

Everything Needed to  Teach  and  Do  Science

PhD Science TEKS Edition  includes print, digital, and hands-on materials kits designed to spark student curiosity and provide teachers with high-quality instructional materials to lead every science lesson with confidence.

ON YOUR COMPUTER

A Teacher Edition for three module topics covered in a school year includes all lessons and teacher support items .

Facilitation slides are available through PhD Science TEKS Edition Projected for each day’s lesson.

Formative and summative assessments are embedded in every module.

PhD Science TEKS Edition in Sync®  offers video lessons and assignments for continuous learning so students can build knowledge if they—or the teacher—have to take time away from class.

IN YOUR CLASSROOM

The   Science Logbook   is where students will synthesize the information and reflect on what they’re learning.

Hands-on materials kit s   include most of the materials needed to conduct the investigations in each module.

Knowledge Deck™   cards help Levels K–2 students build knowledge on the module topic with engaging images and informational text.

Family Tip Sheets   provide caregivers with guidance on how to best   support their scientists at home.

Request Digital Access

Follow the instructions below to request digital access to our TEKS-aligned instructional materials. These digital resources are available for free to all residents of Texas. 

Click the button below if you are a parent or caregiver and would like read-only access to  PhD Science TEKS Edition .

Click the button below if you are an educator who would like to preview or use  PhD Science TEKS Edition . 

*Please note: if you are an educator whose school or district is already implementing PhD Science TEKS Edition you can skip this step and log in to digital.greatminds.org with your district credentials.

SCHOOL/DISTRICT LEADERS

Please submit the form below if you are a school or district leader who wants to preview or use PhD Science TEKS Edition .

*If you have already made a print purchase of materials you can skip this step. Your Great Minds Account Solutions Manager will be reaching out to set up digital access following the submission of your order.

SCHOOL/DISTRICT LEADER ACCESS

Every child is capable of greatness.

• Job Openings
• Digital Support
• Print Support
• Media Inquiries

Let’s Connect

• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• System Status
• CA Residents: Do Not Sell My Info

Open Educational Resources (OER)

• Open Education at UWM
• Introduction to OER
• Open Textbooks
• Open Images & Videos
• Creative Commons Attribution
• OER Science Content
• OER Performing Arts Content
• OER Humanities Content
• OER Health Sciences Content
• Remixing OER
• Writing and Editing OER in Pressbooks
• Workshop: Student Curation & OER: A World Languages Model

OER Search Engine

Openly Available Sources Integrated Search (OASIS) is a meta-search tool for open educational resources including textbooks, podcasts, videos, simulations and other supplemental learning activities . Use OASIS to search for open educational resources you can incorporate in your Canvas course site free of Copyright restrictions.

Science and Technology OER

• MIT OpenCourseWare MIT OpenCourseWare offers full online courses which include insight from instructors, lecture notes, textbook materials, assignments, exams with answers, and multimedia resources. All course content is downloadable.
• Phet Interactive Simulations Founded in 2002 by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, the PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder creates free interactive math and science simulations. PhET simulations are based on extensive education research and engage students through an intuitive, game-like environment where students learn through exploration and discovery.

• OER by Discipline Directory The BCcampus Open Education OER by Discipline Directory lists a wide range of open educational resources organized by discipline. This directory is updated as new resources are identified.

Find, Reuse and Retain Simulations and other Course Assets

Open Educational Resources are ideal for online learning. They are free to reuse and redistribute to your students in Canvas. You can also retain a digital copy of a resource so that it is available to you for future semesters. You may also customize or remix content. When evaluating simulations, labs, etc. be selective about the source file and presentation format. For example, avoid content created with Flash which is largely not accessible and will no longer be supported after 2020. HTML5 files, on the other hand, can be viewed in most browsers and work with iOS devices. HTML5 can also be edited for customization or innovation purposes. 

Find and Reuse: Scientific Illustrations

Online open textbooks are a great resource for scientific illustrations. Images can be reused in slides, handbooks, and virtual labs.  

• << Previous: Creative Commons Attribution
• Next: OER Performing Arts Content >>
• Last Updated: Apr 17, 2024 12:52 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.uwm.edu/oers

Open Educational Resources as a Graduate Field of Study

Dec 7, 2020 | Event , Open Educational Resources

Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing reflections from our #OpenEd scholarship recipients on their experiences at this year’s Open Education Conference . Today, we are featuring Michael Porter from Lawson State Community College.

I attended last year’s annual Open Education Conference as a  Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) Fellow – an open education leadership program designed to empower academic professionals to head open education initiatives. It was amazing to see and experience the breadth of knowledge and diversity of topics presented at the event. While this year’s conference was a completely digital affair, I still had the opportunity to participate and even contribute to the Showcase Gallery ( Learning About Open Educational Resources ). The range of subjects and presenters at #OpenEd20 was more impressive than the traditional, in-person event. I took part in many of the sessions and found Steven Bell’s Taking Open Educational Resources (OER) to the LIS: Reimaging the Preparation of Library Science for Open Education particularly timely.  

A major component of the 2019-2020 SPARC program centered on “learning about OER” during the first semester. This learning was conducted online and followed a traditional college semester format. It’s worth mentioning because the SPARC program was designed for professionals seeking to promote OER initiatives. I found it refreshing that presentations addressed the need to develop an OER curriculum for graduate library and information science education. Creating OER courses at the graduate level opens up tremendous opportunities for academic professionals to embrace the field of OER. 

As someone new to the OER movement, conferences like #OpenEd20 help to promote professionalism, expertise, research, and credibility to those advocating for the development and adoption of OER. The amount of knowledge and expertise presented at these events, however, doesn’t always find its way into graduate education courses. A number of the challenges, concerns, and issues discussed by attendees could be addressed more thoroughly with OER graduate-level classes. 

One of the primary concerns about OER revolves around quality. Fortunately, my instructional design and educational technology background enable me to devise remixing tools and methods that can be used to create better quality OER content. Additionally, OER adoption has historically been difficult to sell to tenured faculty and promotion committees. With the efforts from groups like the Global OER Graduate Network , which seeks to raise the profile of research into open education, open education may soon come to be viewed as a viable field of academic study. 

The Open Education Conference provides a forum for open enthusiasts to network and share ideas and resources. It also serves to identify areas in the field that need to be further explored and developed. OpenEd20 left me with a lot to digest, but I emerged more confident and empowered to pursue my chosen area of interest following this unique and unforgettable experience.

The Michelson 20MM Foundation is dedicated to supporting and investing in leading organizations, technologies, and initiatives that seek to transform learning and improve access to educational opportunities that lead to a meaningful career. Michelson 20MM was founded thanks to the generous support of renowned spinal surgeon and inventor Dr. Gary K. Michelson and his wife, Alya Michelson. Visit us at 20mm.org .

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

• California’s Broadband Investment, A Community Perspective
• Introducing Whitley Crawford, Michelson IP Senior Program Coordinator
• Unlocking Potential: The Case for Paid Opportunities with Livable Wages for Incarcerated Individuals in California
• Welcoming the 2024 Michelson 20MM Student Fellows
• One Step Closer to Closing the Equity Gap Incarcerated Women Face: Project Rebound at Cal State LA Will Help 50 Women Establish Career Pathways

Have questions not answered below? Submit them here .

What Are Open Educational Resources?

Open educational resources (OER) are guided by the idea that high-quality educational materials should be available to everyone. OER are educational materials that save students and teachers money because they are free to use, customize, and share. Because they’re freely available, OER materials are easily accessible for all districts and teachers. They also make distribution faster because they’re easily downloadable. 

OER make customization easier because they can be edited to accommodate different learning styles, cultures, languages, and local contexts. OER can continuously evolve with the most updated and relevant information for students because they are being used and adapted by classroom teachers in real time. 

Based on early research, OER show promise in improving student outcomes and providing more empowerment opportunities for teachers.

Related Articles

Grade level.

• University of Texas Libraries
• UT Libraries

Marine Science

• Open Educational Resources (OER)
• Library Events
• Collections
• Library Services
• Graduate Course Reserves, Spring 2024
• Undergraduate Course Reserves, Spring 2024
• All About Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Open Access (OA), Memberships & Publishing Initiatives
• GIS & Geospatial Data Services
• Research Data Services
• Technical Reports & Bulletins
• Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)
• Scholarly Publishing
• Citation Management & Resources
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Relevant Books
• Funding Opportunities
• Educational, Scholarship Opportunity Programs

Identifying & Using Open Educational Resources (OER)

Longhorn Textbook Access (LTA). A partnership with the University Co-op designed to reduce the cost of digital textbooks and other course materials for students. Provides faculty support to choose course learning materials.

For information and support for OER course materials, visit OER Guide   and learn why it might be a good fit for your course and understand the impacts and benefits. 

• Open Textbooks
• Open Access Books

OER Repositories

• Resources for Learning More
• All Things Flow: Fluid Mechanics for the Natural Sciences , W. Smyth, Oregon State U., c2019.
• Coastal Dynamics , J. Bosboom & M. Stive, TU Delft Open, c2021.
• Evolution of Physical Oceanography : Scientific Surveys in Honor of Henry Stommel / B. Warren & C. Wunsch, MIT Pr, c1981.
• Fish, Fishing, and Conservation , D. Orth, VA Tech Publishing, 2023.
• Geophysical Flows , Anne W. Omta, MIT, last updated May 6, 2022.
• Introduction to Ocean Sciences , DA Segar, 4th ed., 2018, last update 12/23/21 (Ver 4.4).  
• Introduction to Oceanography , P. Webb, Rebus Community, c2019, last update 2020.
• Introduction to Physical Oceanography , RH Stewart, c2008.
• Maneuvering and Control of Marine Vehicles , M. Triantafyllou & F. Hover, MIT Pr, last rev. Nov 5, 2003.
• Marine Law and Policy for Scientists and Managers , Campbell, 1st ed., Oregon State U., c2019.
• Oceanography 101 , Miracosta College, last updated Feb 14, 2021.
• Oceanography , Hill et al., last updated Apr 1, 2020.
• A Student’s Guide to Tropical Marine Biology , H. Zanga et al., Kenyon College, c2019.
• Threshold Concepts in Biochemistry, J. Pakay, H. Duivenvoorden, T. Shafee, K. Clarke, La Trobe eBureau, 2023.
• Canvas Commons

Freshwater Biological Association (UK)

• Freshwater Biology and Ecology Handbook : Practitioner's Guide to Improving and Protecting River Health, Focus on Invertebrate Monitoring and Assessment, John Murray-Bligh & Martin Griffiths, July 2022.

From the press release : "The Foundation for Water Research (now part of the Institution of Environmental Sciences) (FWR/IES) and the Freshwater Biological Association (FBA) are pleased to announce the launch of their Freshwater Biology and Ecology Handbook. The unique scientific and charitable roles of the FWR/IES and FBA have enabled this book to be written in partnership with freshwater biology and water management experts and allow for it to be published free of charge and for public good, for use by the public, experts, and regulators."

Inter-Research Science Publisher, Book Series :

• Diseases of Marine Animals - Volumes I to IV (from Protozoa to Mammalia.
• Excellence in Ecology Books  - only a few available for free download.
• Marine Ecology - A comprehensive, integrated Treatise on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters ; 5 vols., Otto Kinne (Inter-Research Science Publisher)

Selected titles from

... the  InTech Open

... the National Academies Press

... the OApen

• OER Commons:  https://www.oercommons.org/
• OERTX: https://oertx.highered.texas.gov/ 
• OpenStax: https://openstax.org/
• Open Textbook Library: https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/
• MERLOT:  https://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
• OASIS:  https://oasis.geneseo.edu/

Links to all these resources (and more!) can be found at http://bit.ly/OpenAccessibleUT

• Services for Faculty & Instructors
• Creative Commons License Picker
• BCcampus Open Education Accessibility Toolkit
• Universal Design for Learning Guidelines
• Accessible Word Document Checklist  
• How to Begin: Creating an Accessible Classroom

Guest Post - Space and Grace in Open Access Publishing , by Dustin Fife; from The Scholarly Kitchen, May 5, 2021.      "We should strive for open but also be realistic about the options truly available to researchers and discuss them transparently and honestly."

One Thing That Works: OER

Watch Dr. Joshua Barbour (Associate Professor, Communication Studies) and Ashley Morrison (Tocker Open Education Librarian) explain OER, show how it's used effectively in Dr. Barbour's course, and tell you how to get help with OER at UT Austin. 

OER FAQs for Faculty & Instructors

Q: i'm using oer in my course. do i need to share that with the university co-op before each semester through the formal adoption process .

A. Yes! Even if students don't have to purchase your selected course materials, it's useful to do this because your materials will then show up in the "My Textbooks" section of Canvas. Students can access course materials directly from this tab, and it will include both commercial texts and OER if you are using a mix. If you miss that deadline, those materials can be sourced from the OER publisher (e.g.,  OpenStax ) and/or  posted directly to your Canvas course .

Q: How do I represent my open education activities in my activity report or promotion packet?

A: Learn how to best represent your engagement with OER in activity reports or packets for promotion with a new tool from the Driving OER Sustainability for Student Success (DOERS3) working group. This matrix identifies different types of instructor contributions using OER (adopting, adapting, creating, etc.) and demonstrates concrete ways to document and provide evidence of these contributions in teaching, service, and research. Additionally, Iowa OER created a helpful visual to distill the recommendations of DOERS3 in the " Open Education in Promotion, Tenure, & Faculty Development " guide. If you have questions or are interested in talking more about OER activities and institutional reward structures, please get in touch.

Q: Am I allowed to openly license my work? Who owns it?

Generally, authors own their work and can license it as they choose, but there are exceptions. Read more about it in our Copyright Crash Course or the UT System IP Policy to determine what rules may apply to your situation. 

Q: Is Open Access (OA) the same thing as OER?

The short answer is that all OER are Open Access (OA), but not all OA is OER. The longer answer is that the license applied to a work determines whether or not it is truly OER. For example, a journal article may be published OA, but the license it carries may be all-rights-reserved copyright. That is not OER because the license does not allow users to copy and adapt the content. However, in a different circumstance that same journal article may be published OA and also carry an open license (such as a Creative Commons license) that allows users to not only access it freely (OA) but copy and adapt it -- this is OER. 

Even more FAQs are addressed in the Faculty Guide to Use of Open Educational Resources (OER) , produced by the OER Subcommittee of the Sustainable Open Scholarship Working Group charged by the Provost. 

Virginia Course Materials Survey

In Fall 2021, in cooperation with member institutions, VIVA, Virginia’s academic library consortium, conducted the Virginia Course Materials Survey.  The survey built on the work of previous states and regions and included a special emphasis on educational equity.  More than 5,600 valid student responses from 41 institutions were received, reflecting an overall response rate of 10%.

The overarching research questions were:

• What is the impact of course material costs on educational equity among Virginia students?
• What course content materials do students find to be most beneficial to their learning?

Survey results, including a very helpful Executive Summary, are available on the VIVA website .

Noted highlights:

• 78% of all respondents expressed some level of worry about paying for course materials
• 98% of students attempt to reduce their course materials costs in some way
• The survey results also document how course materials costs are even more of an issue for students with multiple areas of financial or social concern (e.g. Pell Grant funding, First Generation college students, BIPOC, disabled)
• Quote from a student, “The shame and guilt of struggling in a class when the materials cost so much money has been hard to escape.”
• Quote from a student, “There were some classes that required homework programs that I had to pay for and it caused me to drop the class…”

Need help with OER?

Contact:  Heather Walter , Scholarly Communications Librarian.

OER Resources for Students

If you're a student interested in learning more about OER or getting involved with advocacy efforts, these resources will get you started. Contact Heather Walter, [email protected] , for more information or support. 

What is open education, anyway? Start with the Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC)'s primer . 

• Open Textbook Alliance
• Textbook Research
• Open Textbooks Guide
• Open Textbooks Organizing Toolkit
• BCcampus Open Education OER Student Toolkit

Join the OER Interest List

Stay in the know about OER at UT Austin by joining our email interest list. We'll keep you informed about upcoming workshops, new programs on campus and in the state, and other news you can use. 

Sign up here. 

• Last Updated: Mar 28, 2024 1:35 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/marinescience

• Review article
• Open access
• Published: 13 October 2023

Are open educational resources (OER) and practices (OEP) effective in improving learning achievement? A meta-analysis and research synthesis

• Ahmed Tlili   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1449-7751 1 ,
• Juan Garzón   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0374-8570 2 ,
• Soheil Salha   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2791-9925 3 ,
• Ronghuai Huang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4651-5248 1 ,
• Lin Xu   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5426-1570 1 ,
• Daniel Burgos   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0498-1101 4 ,
• Mouna Denden   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0035-3490 5 , 6 ,
• Orna Farrell   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9519-2380 7 ,
• Robert Farrow   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7625-8396 8 ,
• Aras Bozkurt   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4520-642X 9 ,
• Tel Amiel   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1775-1148 10 ,
• Rory McGreal   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4393-0921 11 ,
• Aída López-Serrano   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9008-7960 4 &
• David Wiley   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6722-4744 12  

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education volume  20 , Article number:  54 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

5237 Accesses

3 Citations

43 Altmetric

Metrics details

While several studies have investigated the various effects of open educational resources (OER) and open educational practices (OEP), few have focused on its connection to learning achievement. The related scientific literature is divided about the effects of OER and OEP with regards to their contribution to learning achievement. To address this tension, a meta-analysis and research synthesis of 25 studies ( N  = 119,840 participants) was conducted to quantitatively investigate the effects of OER and OEP on students’ learning achievement. The analysis included course subject, level of education, intervention duration, sample size, geographical distribution, and research design as moderating variables of the obtained effects. The findings revealed that OER and OEP have a significant yet negligible ( g  = 0.07, p  < 0.001) effect. Additionally, the analysis found that the obtained effect can be moderated by several variables, including course subject, level of education and geographical distribution. The study findings can help various stakeholders (e.g., educators, instructional designers or policy makers) in understanding what might hinder OER and OEP effect on learning achievement, hence accommodating better learning outcomes and more effective interventions.

Introduction

Open educational resources and practices.

The term Open Educational Resources (OER) was first coined at UNESCO’s 2002 Forum on Open Courseware, and it was defined in the recent UNESCO Recommendation on OER as “learning, teaching, and research materials in any format and medium that reside in the public domain or are under copyright that have been released under an open license that permit no-cost access, reuse, repurpose, adaptation, and redistribution by others” (UNESCO,  2019 ). Several studies have then reported the advantages of OER in reducing learning costs (Hilton, 2016 ), increasing accessibility to educational resources even for students with disabilities (Zhang et al., 2020a ), and enhancing learning quality (Yuan & Recker, 2015 ; Weller et al., 2015 ; Zhang et al., 2020b ). Wiley ( 2014 ) further outlined five key characteristics, also known as the 5Rs, of using OER, namely: (1) retain—each person has the right to make and own copies of the published resource; (2) reuse—each person has the right to use the educational resources content in different ways depending in the learning context (e.g., formal or informal learning); (3) revise—each person has the right to revise the educational resource for different purposes (e.g., adapting it to a learning context or enhancing it); (4) remix—each person has the right to create a new educational resource by combining one or more learning contents together; and (5) redistribute—each person has the right to share with others copies of the original revised or remixed educational resource. The 5Rs can support innovation in teaching and learning since OER can be created, used, shared and repurposed differently to traditional copyrighted educational materials.

Building on the idea of innovation in educational resources and the idea of openness in education (Bozkurt et al., 2023 ), the Open e-Learning Content Observatory Services (OLCOS) functions as a Transversal Action under the European eLearning Programme and is committed to advancing the creation, sharing, and global utilization of OER (OLCOS, 2007 ). In 2007, OLCOS conducted a roadmap study that emphasized the significance of integrating innovative teaching methods with OER (OLCOS, 2007 ). The project underscores that merely delivering OER within traditional teacher-centered frameworks might not sufficiently prepare individuals for educational success. It advocates for the incorporation of innovative educational practices alongside OER, and notably introduced the concept of Open Educational Practices (OEP). Based on this perspective, OEP can be defined as OER-enabled pedagogies, or “the set of teaching and learning practices that are only possible or practical in the context of the 5R permissions which are characteristic of OER” (Wiley & Hilton III, 2018 , p. 135; cf. Bali et al., 2020 ). Ehlers ( 2011 , p. 4) defined OEP as “practices which support the (re)use and production of Open Educational Resources through institutional policies, promote innovative pedagogical models, and respect and empower learners as co-producers on their lifelong learning paths.” In a comprehensive review, Huang et al. ( 2020 ) identified five dimensions for the possible implementation of OEP, namely: OER, open teaching, open collaboration, open assessment and facilitating technologies. Some research suggests that these practices can help enhance learning quality, access, and effectiveness in universities. With the positive potential of OER and OEP in education, their adoption in education has rapidly increased for the past years. A significant moment in the history of open education came with the UNESCO ( 2019 ) Recommendation on OER which provides strategic policy support for the uptake and monitoring of OER. Accordingly, the UNESCO recommendation calls upon member states to develop national policies for the adoption of OER, which include activities, such as creating guidelines and strategies to incorporate OER within educational institutions or facilitating the generation and sharing of OER materials among educators. This recommendation draws considerable attention and investments to OER and OEP projects without certainty about their positive effects. At present, with the great potential of OER and OEP in education, a majority who remain unaware of the transformative potential of open practice; some educators consider OEP to be one of the most significant teaching forms of the twenty-first century (Shear et al., 2015 ) while others are oblivious of its existence. It is also important to note that OEP is not an orthodoxy so much as a concept that can be realized in a multitude of different ways.

Research gap and study objectives

Dotson and Foley (2017) emphasized that changing the curriculum content (i.e., from proprietary to open) does not produce a change in students’ learning achievement. Harvey and Bond ( 2022 ) also argued that there is a need to investigate if a change in the learning content licensing has an impact on students’ learning achievement. Despite a growing body of evidence regarding the effectiveness of OER and OEP in learning, open research studies have focused on other variables (e.g., affordability, accessibility). Less attention has been paid to whether OER and OEP can enhance students’ learning achievement compared to traditionally copyrighted materials (Robinson, 2015 ). For instance, Hilton ( 2016 ) conducted a systematic review of articles focusing on OER issues and learning achievement and perception, written between 2002 and August of 2015. The researcher found that only seven of sixteen studies focused on learning achievement. The researcher conducted another systematic review of twenty-nine OER-focused articles, written between September 2015 and December 2018, and only nine new learning achievement studies were obtained (Hilton, 2020 ). This reflects the decline in attention being paid to OER/OEP and learning achievement since 2002. Moreover, the literature about the effects of OER and OEP in enhancing students’ learning achievement is divided, where some studies reported positive effects (e.g., Colvard et al., 2018 ), no effects (e.g., Fortney, 2021 ; Grissett & Huffman, 2019 ) or even negative effects (e.g., Gurung, 2017 ), implying that some students who used traditionally copyrighted materials had better effects than those who used OER.

The question of the relative efficacy of OER or OEP remains open. The main rationale, therefore for this study, is to examine whether or not OER and OEP can enhance learning achievement. Two systematic reviews (Hilton, 2016 , 2020 ) attempted to investigate the above-mentioned phenomenon, however they were purely qualitative. The results from these two reviews did not effectively reveal the effects of OER and OEP on learning achievement. One study by Clinton and Khan ( 2019 ) conducted a meta-analysis related to this topic, however it investigated only the effect of open textbooks on post-secondary students’ learning achievement in the USA and Canada. Consequently, the previously obtained results do not reflect a comprehensive and an in-depth investigation of the effect of OER and OEP on learning achievement.

This present investigation aims at a more in-depth coverage of the current literature by including a range of types of OER (e.g., textbooks, videos, etc.) in many countries and at many educational levels. Smith ( 2013 ) highlighted the importance of researching improvements in achievement and attainment of OER, urging for further investigation into interventions that could result in significant enhancements in educational outcomes. In the same vein, Hilton ( 2020 ) has further suggested conducting sophisticated meta-analyses, where effect sizes across studies are calculated, to understand the measurable effect of OER on learning achievement. In response, this study employs a systematic analysis of the OER/OEP literature to comprehensively investigate whether the data supports the hypothesis that the use of OER and OEP can improve students’ learning achievement in a range of subjects. Therefore, to address this research gap, this study consisted of a meta-analysis and research synthesis of the relevant literature to provide quantitative evidence on the effects of OER and OEP on learning achievement. Meta-analysis, utilizing statistical methods, was employed to accurately measure the effect of a given intervention and the associated moderators of this effect (Rosenthal & DiMatteo, 2001 ).

Additionally, several studies reported that the effects of OER and OEP on learning achievement might vary due to different confounders, such as demographic information, the type of the course delivered, educational level (grade), intervention duration, among others (e.g., Hilton, 2016 , 2020 ). Therefore, the present study takes a forward step towards analyzing if these variables might moderate the effect of OER and OEP on learning achievement. Specifically, this study addressed the following research questions:

RQ1. What is the effect of OER and OEP on students’ learning achievement?

RQ2. How does the effect of OER and OEP on students’ learning achievement vary according to the educational subject?

RQ3. How does the effect of OER and OEP on students’ learning achievement vary according to the educational level?

RQ4. How does the effect of OER and OEP on students’ learning achievement vary according to the intervention duration?

RQ5. How does the effect of OER and OEP on students’ learning achievement vary according to the sample size?

RQ6. How does the effect of OER and OEP on students’ learning achievement vary according to geographical distribution of students?

RQ7. How does the effect of OER and OEP on students’ learning achievement vary according to the research design?

Methodology

This study identifies the effects of using OER and OEP on learning achievement through meta-analysis. To secure the selection of the most relevant literature to be meta-analyzed, the researchers of the current study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines (Page et al., 2021 ). Additionally, the researchers followed recommendations outlined by Kitchenham and Charters ( 2007 ). This procedure suggests three stages, namely: planning, conducting, and reporting the review. Although these guidelines were originally proposed for conducting systematic reviews, they have been successfully employed in meta-analyses (e.g., Garzón et al., 2019 ). All the processes related to the selection and codification of the studies were carried out by two coders.

Planning the review

To ensure having only relevant studies (recall) within this meta-analysis, hence obtaining a high precision rate (Ting, 2010 ), “open educational resources” and “open educational practices” were used as search keywords. Particularly, the term abbreviations, namely OER and OEP, were not considered as search keywords because in scientific writings, the full name of a term is provided prior to using its abbreviation. The search process was undertaken in the following databases: Web of Science, Scopus, Taylor and Francis and ERIC. These databases were selected because they are popular in the field of educational technology (Bedenlier et al., 2020 ; Wang et al., 2023 ). ERIC, particularly, focuses on educational science, especially OER (Otto et al., 2021 ) and Scopus is known as the largest database for scholarly publications. The publication interval was from 2012 up to 2023. The starting year of 2012 was selected as the initial date because it marked the release of the “UNESCO Paris OER Declaration”, which urged governments to promote the use of OER, and called for publicly funded educational materials to be released in a freely reusable form. As a result, several OER initiatives were launched worldwide which catalyzed the development of the OER field. Due to the novelty of the topic, conference papers and doctoral dissertations were considered to be included into the research corpus, as suggested by several studies (e.g., Chen et al., 2020 ; Denden et al., 2022 ).

The search was conducted on April 4, 2023, at which date, researchers were able to identify 643 studies (Web of Science: 117, Scopus: 38, Taylor and Francis: 262, and ERIC: 226). After eliminating duplicates ( n  = 324), a total of 319 publications were selected for further analysis. The first filter was based on each article’s title and keywords. This process allowed us to identify and remove 75 papers that were not relevant to the purpose of this present study. Then, the abstract of the remaining 244 papers was read and analyzed comprehensively. This process allowed us to remove 135 papers that were not relevant. Finally, we analyzed the remaining 109 studies based on the following criteria: (1) empirical studies, (2) studies that specifically used OER or OEP, (3) studies that provided sufficient information (i.e., mean, median, standard deviation) to calculate the effect size.

Therefore, a study was excluded if (1) it was not empirical research, (2) it did not focus on using OER or OEP, (3) it was qualitative or review research, (4) it did not provide sufficient information to calculate the effect size, or (5) it was not written in English. This process limited the corpus for investigation to 25 papers (23 journal papers, 1 conference paper and 1 PhD dissertation) to be further examined and included in the analysis. At the end of this process, the reference section of each paper was then reviewed. However, this process did not provide additional studies. Figure  1 shows the PRISMA flowchart (Page et al., 2021 ) of the study selection process, where inter-rater reliability in each phase was above 0.7, which is considered very good (Cohen, 1960 ).

PRISMA flowchart for the search protocol

Conducting the review

This stage included the coding scheme for the data extraction process. In an effort to minimize the potential for bias, an online electronic data extraction form was designed (Kitchenham & Charters, 2007 ). To answer the aforementioned research questions, the following information in each study was coded: (1) OER type: The type of resource used for teaching, such as textbooks, videos, etc.; (2) course subject: the subject that was taught when using OER and OEP, such as mathematics, psychology, etc.; (3) educational level: the student grade in which OER and OEP were used, such as primary, bachelors, etc.; (4) the length of time over which OER and OEP were used (i.e., course duration); (5) sample size: the number of participants in each study. According to Cheung and Slavin ( 2016 ), the sample size was divided into small, where the number of participants is less than or equal to 250, and large, where the number of participants is larger than 250; (6) region: the region (country) where the experiment was conducted; and (7) research design: the followed research design when conducting the experiment.

Calculation of the effect size

Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V.4 (Borenstein, 2022 ) software was used to conduct the present meta-analysis. Additionally, Hedges’ g was used to calculate the effect sizes (Hedges, 1981 ). The motivation behind using Hedges’ g instead of Cohen’s d effect size was that the differential sample size between studies may bias the estimated effect size. This bias affects studies having a sample size smaller than 20, in which case Hedges’s g presents more reliable estimates than Cohen’s d (Hedges & Olkin, 1985 ). Eleven studies followed the pretest–posttest-control (PPC) research design. In this research design, students are randomly assigned to experimental and control treatments and are evaluated before and after the treatment. As stated by Morris ( 2008 ), this design provides better results regarding the accuracy of d values and control of threats to internal validity. The remaining fourteen studies, on the other hand, followed the posttest only with control (POWC) design, where students are assigned to experimental and control treatments and assessed only once, after the treatment (i.e., learning using OER or OEP).

According to the guidelines provided by Thalheimer and Cook ( 2002 ) for interpreting effect size, an effect size is negligible if − 0.15 <  g  < 0.15; small if 0.15 ≤  g  < 0.40; medium if 0.40 ≤  g  < 0.75; large if 0.75 ≤  g  < 1.10; very large if 1.10 ≤  g  < 1.45; and, huge if 1.45 ≤  g . Additionally, to test if there was any heterogeneity in the variation of effect sizes within the reviewed studies, Q and I 2 were evaluated (Konstantopoulos & Hedges, 2019 ). Specifically, a preplanned analysis was conducted to investigate if the field of education, the level of education, or the learning setting influenced the overall average effect size.

Publication bias

Three methods were used to assess publication bias: classic Rosenthal’s fail-safe N, Orwin’s fail-safe N, and the trim-and-fill method. Rosenthal’s (1979) fail-safe number aims to determine the number of studies with nonsignificant results of unpublished data needed to nullify the mean effect size. A fail-safe number larger than 5 k  + 10 (where k is the original number of studies included in the meta-analysis) is robust. This means that the effect size of unpublished studies is not likely to affect the average effect size of the meta-analysis. However, this method assumes that the mean effect size in the missing studies is zero (Borenstein et al., 2021 ). To overcome this issue, Orwin ( 1983 ) proposed a more stringent method to identify how many missing studies would bring the overall effect to a specific non-zero value. This method permits selecting a value that represents the smallest effect of substantive importance and identifying how many missing studies it would take to bring the overall effect below this value. Alternatively, the trim-and-fill method was proposed by Duval and Tweedie (2000) with the intention of identifying publication bias by means of a funnel plot wherein the studies are represented by dots. If the dots are distributed on both sides of a vertical line representing the average effect size, there is no publication bias. Conversely, if most of the dots are located at the bottom of the funnel or on one side of the vertical line, publication bias is present (Borenstein et al., 2010 ).

Description of the included sample

Table 1 presents the included 25 studies in this present meta-analysis. Most of the studies ( n  = 19) were conducted with bachelor students. Additionally, OER and OEP were used mostly to teach psychology ( n  = 6), mathematics ( n  = 5) or also varied courses ( n  = 6). Among the 25 studies, 10 studies used small sample size (less than or equal to 250) and 15 studies used large sample size (larger than 250). Hedges’s g was also calculated. A positive Hedges’s g indicates that students using OER and OEP had better achievement than those who used traditionally copyrighted resources, and vice versa. Table 1 shows that 10 studies had negative Hedges’s g value.

Publication bias assessment

Borenstein et al. ( 2010 ) stated that a symmetric funnel plot—when the dots (studies) are distributed on both sides of the vertical line (combined effect size)—implies that there is no publication bias. However, if most of the dots are situated at the bottom of the funnel or on one side of the vertical line, there is publication bias. Figure  2 shows that the dots in this study are distributed symmetrically around the vertical line. Additionally, although some dots are outside the triangle of the funnel plot, most of them are in the upper part of Fig.  2 and not at the bottom. Therefore, it can be argued that the reliability of the present meta-analysis is not affected by publication bias.

Funnel plot of standard error by Hedges’ g

Overall effect size for learning achievement

The meta-analysis yielded an overall effect size of g  = 0.07, p  < 0.001, indicating that OER and OEP had a negligible effect on students’ learning achievement (see Table 2 ). Specifically, Document ( g  = − 0.20; 95% CI  = − 0.14 to 0.10; n  = 1), Interactive (text) book ( g  = 0.13; 95% CI  = 0.11 to 0.15; n  = 18) and Interactive course ( g  = − 0.11; 95% CI  = − 0.14 to − 0.08; n  = 5) had a negligible effect on students’ learning achievement. Video ( g  = 0.20; 95% CI  = − 0.0.33 to 0.73; n  = 1) had a small effect on students’ learning achievement.

The I 2 statistic showed that 96.60% of variance resulted from between-study factors, implying that other variables might moderate the effect size of OER (as pointed out in the background of this study).

The forest plot presents the variation of effect size across the 25 included studies (see Fig.  3 ). The black square represents each study’s weighted effect size, where a larger square size implies a larger effect size. The arrow underneath each square (effect size) represents the confidence interval of the associated effect size. The overall mean effect size ( g  = 0.073) is presented at the last row of the forest plot. Interestingly, it is seen that almost half of the studies had a negative effect size with different confidence intervals, implying that the use of traditionally copyrighted materials had a better impact on learning achievement compared to the use of OER and OEP. This further explains the obtained negligible effect of OER and OEP on students’ learning achievement (see Table 2 ).

A forest plot of the Hedge's g estimates and the confidence intervals of all studies

Effect sizes of learning achievement for moderator variables

Course subject.

Meta-regression was used to investigate any possible variations in the effect sizes of educational subjects (Liesa-Orus et al., 2023 ). According to Table 3 , the meta-regression result indicates that the course subject model is associated with the effect sizes of the learning achievement under OER as the p-value is 0.05 (Borenstein 2022 ). Moreover, the statistics of the subject indicate that using OER in history (p = 0.001) is likely to relate to the effect size. Specifically, the coefficient indicates that the expected mean effect size for studies using OER in history is 1.14 points higher than the expected mean effect size for studies using OER in psychology, with standard error 0.33 and a confidence interval 0.49–1.78. In other words, OER used in history is likely to have a significantly better effect on learning achievement than OER used in psychology.

Educational level

Meta-regression was used to investigate any possible variations in the effect sizes of educational level (Chaudhary & Singh, 2022 ). According to Table 4 , the meta-regression result indicates that the educational level model is associated with the effect sizes of the learning achievement under OER as the p-value is equal to 0.001 (Borenstein 2022 ). Moreover, the statistics of educational level indicate that using OER in professional development ( p  = 0.001) is likely to relate to the effect size. Specifically, the coefficient indicates that the expected mean effect size for studies using OER in professional development is 2.26 points higher than the expected mean effect size for studies using OER in bachelors, with standard error 0.48 and a confidence interval 1.31–3.20. In other words, OER used in professional development is likely to have a significantly better effect on learning achievement than OER used in bachelor.

Intervention duration

Meta-regression was used to investigate any possible variations in the effect sizes of intervention duration (Shi et al., 2023 ). According to Table 5 , the meta-regression result indicates that the intervention duration model is not associated with the effect sizes of the learning achievement under OER as the p-value is 0.99 (Borenstein 2022 ).

Sample size

Meta-regression was used to investigate any possible variations in the effect sizes of sample size (Cheung & Slavin, 2016 ). According to Table 6 , the meta-regression result indicates that the sample size model is not associated with the effect sizes of the learning achievement under OER as p-value is 0.08 (Borenstein 2022 ).

Geographical distribution

Meta-regression was used to investigate any possible variations in the effect sizes of the region (Liesa-Orus et al., 2023 ). According to Table 7 , the meta-regression result indicates that the region model is associated with the effect sizes of learning achievement under OER as p-value is 0.01 (Borenstein 2022 ). Moreover, the region statistics indicate that using OER in Asia (p = 0.001) is likely to relate to the effect size. Specifically, the coefficient indicates that the expected mean effect size for studies using OER in Asia is 1.01 points higher than the expected mean effect size for studies using OER in North America, with standard error 0.33 and a confidence interval 0.36–1.65. In other words, OER used in Asia is likely to have a significantly better effect on learning achievement than OER used in North America.

Research design

Meta-regression was used to explore any possible associations in the effect sizes of the research design (Geissbühler et al., 2021 ). According to Table 8 , the meta-regression result indicates that the research design model is not associated with the effect sizes of learning achievement under OER as p -value is 0.77 (Borenstein 2022 ).

Finally, to further investigate for possible covariance between confounding variables, a meta-regression that includes all of the individual confounding variables that yielded statistically significant results, namely subject, educational level and region, was conducted. Table 9 reveals that subject ( p  = 0.01) and educational level ( p  = 0.001) yielded a significant covariance between confounding variables.

Discussions

This meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively assess the effectiveness of Open Educational Resources (OER) and Open Educational Practices (OEP) in relation to learning achievement. The analysis of 25 independent studies revealed that the impact of OER and OEP on learning achievement is generally negligible. These quantitative findings support the conclusions drawn from qualitative (Hilton, 2016 , 2020 ) and quantitative (Clinton & Khan, 2019 ) reviews that compare learning achievement between courses using open and commercial textbooks. Additionally, it is found that course subject, educational level and the region of students might moderate the effects of OER and OEP. The obtained findings of this study can be discussed and explained from the following perspectives.

Improvement in access does not imply improvement in learning achievement: a holistic design is needed

The use of OER and OEP is often considered an effective learning intervention due to its potential to provide equal access to educational resources for all students (Grimaldi et al., 2019 ). However, the results of this meta-analysis do not substantiate this hypothesis. Dotson and Foley (2017) also argue that the change of a curriculum content license from proprietary to open does not always lead to a change in students’ learning achievement. In other words, we cannot expect an improvement in learning achievement by simply changing the license of a given educational resource from proprietary to open. It requires a more comprehensive approach that involves changing not only the license, but also the used instructional approach, the way the educational resources are designed, etc. Based on the review of 25 included studies, it is found that ensuring an improvement in learning achievement is beyond the simple access to educational resources, and several elements should be considered, some of which are considered and discussed below, namely: OER quality, instructional, and learners’ individual factors.

OER quality

The quality of OER and effective implementation of OEP are crucial factors that significantly influence learning achievement. High-quality OER, characterized by accurate and up-to-date content, clear learning objectives, and appropriate instructional design, have been shown to positively impact student learning outcomes (Butcher, 2015 ). Learners who have access to well-designed OER that align with the curriculum and provide meaningful learning experiences are more likely to engage with the materials and effectively acquire knowledge and skills. However, it is important to acknowledge that not all OER resources meet the necessary standards of accuracy, coherence, and pedagogical effectiveness. Research has indicated significant variability in the quality of OER, resulting in inconsistent learning experiences and potentially limiting their impact on learning achievement (Weller, 2017 ). To address this, quality assurance processes, peer review, and evaluation mechanisms are essential to ensure that the content and resources meet established standards. While there was early skepticism and critique in regards to OER quality based on design and economic production models (see Kahle, 2008 ; Weller, 2010 ), there is nothing inherently different in regards to open and closed/proprietary content beyond the intellectual property rights. In other words, the quality criteria that apply to proprietary/closed resources also apply to OER and we should not expect quality differences in OER produced under the same production modes (e.g. by experienced publishers and designers). The results of this study indicate that no significant difference was found, which substantiates this assertion.

Instructional approach

Scoring improvements in learning achievement also depends on how students engage with OER and the effective implementation of OEP accordingly. On the one hand, despite the easy access to learning materials provided by OER, learners may not use them at all (Feldstein et al., 2012 ) or may not have sufficient time to engage with them (Westermann Juárez and Venegas Muggli, 2017 ). On the other hand, while OER offer the advantage of making learning more individualized, students may encounter a broader range of perspectives through OER but the content they learn may not align with objective measures of learning (Gurung, 2017 ). In the same vein, Zulaiha and Triana ( 2023 ) stated that a proper teaching method and learning strategy must accompany the OER to be effectively leveraged to improve students’ skills in order for OER to make a significant impact on the student learning. An older study by Slavin and Lake ( 2008 ) similarly found that the selection of instructional approach has a larger impact on learning achievement than the choice of curriculum content. Besides, numerous educators face challenges such as time constraints, insufficient skills and competences (e.g., digital), lack of understanding about what OER or OEP actually mean, and a lack of incentives to engage in open practices. Consequently, the widespread adoption of OEP remains limited, potentially hindering its impact on learning achievement (Tlili et al., 2021 ; Zhang et al., 2020b ).

Learners’ individual factors

The impact of OER and OEP on learning achievement is influenced by individual learner characteristics, including prior knowledge and motivation. Tlili and Burgos ( 2022 ) emphasized the importance of providing personalized learning as students in open education might have different backgrounds and competencies. It is crucial to acknowledge that students may show diverse responses to open educational initiatives, and some may require extra support or guidance to fully reap the benefits of these resources. For example, studies have shown that students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, who may lack essential skills in effectively utilizing OER, tend to attain lower learning outcomes compared to their peers (Robinson, 2015 ). Thus, recognizing and addressing the diverse needs of learners is important in enhancing the impact of OER and OEP on learning achievement.

Adequate experimental design is crucial for accurately measuring learning achievement

Beyond the OER and OEP selection and implementation, the study indicates that the applied experimental design might hinder the accurate measurements of OER and OEP effects on learning achievement. Based on the 25 reviewed studies, it is found that most of the studies used quasi-experiments given that random assignments are not always possible in open education. As a result, this might hinder measuring the measurable effects of OER and OEP on learning achievement (Griggs & Jackson, 2017 ; Gurung, 2017 ).

Additionally, separating the effects of OER and OEP from other effects is also a challenge in the conducted experiments. Wiley ( 2022 ) described several ways in which research that purports to show the impact of OER adoption on student learning actually shows the impact of other interventions that are associated with OER adoption (e.g., when faculty receive support from an instructional designer to redesign a course after adopting OER). Pawlyshyn et al. ( 2013 ) also reported an improvement in learning achievement when OER was adopted simultaneously with flipped classrooms. However, it is not clear whether this improvement was due to the use of OER or flipped classrooms. OER are often employed alongside other interventions which can make isolating their effect methodologically problematic. This challenge of correlating improvements in learning achievement with the use of OER and OEP was also reported by other researchers (Griggs & Jackson, 2017 ; Gurung, 2017 ).

Most of the reviewed studies used final exam scores or GPA (grade point average) to measure the learning achievement of incorporating OER and OEP. However, this method is questionable as the designed exam may vary depending on the taught course subject and requirements, leading to a variation in the measured learning achievement. It is, therefore, recommended to use standardized instruments when measuring learning achievement using OER and OEP (Hendricks et al., 2017 ; Hilton, 2020 ). This normalization might lead to competence validation or even credit recognition through alternative credentials (e.g., Alternative Digital Credentials -ADC-), which is one of the open challenges around open education (Griffiths et al., 2022 ).

Confounding variables might lead to a variation of learning achievement

The present meta-analysis revealed that several confounding variables could affect the learning achievement of students when using OER and OEP. One of these variables is the course subject. This might be explained by the fact that some subjects have quality OER published online while others do not. For example, Lawrence and Lester ( 2018 ) highlighted a specific concern in the open content space for subjects like political science, which is the lack of available textbook options. Similarly, Choi and Carpenter ( 2017 ) found it challenging to find a suitable OER for their interdisciplinary Human Factors and Ergonomics course. The researchers discovered that OER for the Human Factors and Ergonomics course often provided in-depth content for individual topics, including extra information that is relevant to their subject of focus but not directly related to the course learning objectives. Furthermore, the limited number of OER options creates difficulties for instructors in applying some of their preferred pedagogical approaches.

The obtained findings also revealed that students’ geographic region can moderate the effect of OER and OEP on learning achievement. This could be explained with the fact that several regions, such as East Asia, have made remarkable progress in terms of raising awareness and adopting OER and OEP (Tlili et al., 2019 ), while others like the Arab region and sub-Saharan Africa are still behind (Tlili et al., 2020 , 2022 ). This might result in divided regions in terms of students’ perception and acquired competencies to use OER and OEP, hence having varied learning achievement across regions.

Conclusions, implications and limitations

This study included a meta-analysis and research synthesis to investigate the effects of OER and OEP on students’ learning achievement. This analysis describes how this effect is moderated across different variables (i.e., course subject, level of education, intervention duration, sample size and geographical distribution). As discussed above, to the best of our knowledge, no previous study has conducted a similar analysis. Based on the findings, it can be argued that holistic OER learning design may be needed to optimize learning outcomes; that researchers should employ adequate experimental design when investigating the relationship between OER and learning achievement; and highlighted the potential role of confounding factors that can lead to a variation of learning achievement when using OER.

Implications

This study supports previous research in identifying no significant differences between the interventions using open and closed approaches (content or practice). This meta-analysis supports this conclusion following along existing literature on media/intermedia comparison studies (e.g. Clark, 1994 ; Salomon & Clark, 1977 ).

The conundrum for comparisons studies such as those included in this meta-analysis is thus: if a true experiment made to evaluate the influence of OER in learning achievement were to be designed, the only variable would be the OER itself, in other words, the intellectual property license of the content (considering this to be the defining characteristic of OER). If this were possible, one could only expect that the affordances of open licensing would possibly point to the effects of reduced cost or ease of access to relate to achievement (e.g., Fischer et al., 2015 ). But if this is done, it would offer us minimal new insights beyond what we already could expect, in principle. It stands to reason that not having access to resources designed to be part of a course would reduce achievement (a comparison on whether students actually did or did not access and make use of resources in the treatment and control condition is another study entirely).

However, the truly intriguing and critical questions pertain to practical applications. If we do allow practice to vary, for example: if the OER afforded some different sort of practice (as OEP is defined in OER-enabled pedagogy) then we are really measuring something more holistic—the practice which includes the resource. As Salomon and Clark ( 1977 , p. 102) conclude: “In short, when only the least significant aspects of instruction are allowed to vary, nothing of interest could, and did, result.”

This study then might point us to valuable avenues for further research. Perhaps course instructors and designers are attempting to faithfully replicate courses that make use of OER simply to test possible outcomes in achievement; here, clearly, we should expect no difference to emerge. Furthermore, instructors may not be really leveraging OER-enabled pedagogy or more expansive perspectives of OEP.

Additionally, this meta-analysis might help disencourage further comparison studies based on OER and achievement. It points us to the urgency of expanding the object of analysis beyond intrinsic characteristics of OER and focus on how principles of openness might significantly alter the nature of the practices and courses themselves, might lead to outcomes which are not measured simply by achievement gains, and additionally, might or might not cater to different types of students.

This present study can contribute to the literature from different perspectives. From a theoretical perspective, this study adds to the ongoing debate for the past twenty years about the effectiveness of OER and OEP by revealing what might moderate the effectiveness of OER and OEP. From a practical perspective, this study can contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (UN, 2021 ), specifically SDG 4 quality education, by highlighting the different variables (i.e., quality, the used pedagogical approach, etc.) that different stakeholders (i.e., educators, instructional designers, etc.) should consider when adopting OER and OEP for better learning achievement. Finally, from a methodological perspective, this study contributes to the literature by pointing out various experimental criteria (i.e.., standardized measurements, design, etc.) that should be considered when designing research experiments to effectively measure the true effect of OER, hence providing more accurate results that could advance the field in this regard.

Limitations and future directions

It should be noted that the statistical power was not examined in this present meta-analysis, which is the case in the majority of published meta-analyses in the literature (Burçin, 2022 ; Dumas-Mallet et al., 2017 ; Thorlund & Mills, 2012 ). A significant barrier to the widespread implementation of statistical power in meta-analysis is the difficulty of understanding how it can be computed due to the various variables that should be considered in each study, as well as the heterogenicity of the conducted studies (Cafri et al., 2010 ; Ioannidis et al., 2014 ; Vankov et al., 2014 ). Additionally, there is a lack of an accessible and easy-to-use software or R script that can help to compute statistical power (Griffin, 2021 ; Thomas & Krebs, 1997 ). In this context, various software, such as G*power, have been developed to calculate statistical power for primary research, allowing for widespread implementation of power analysis in primary research (Faul et al., 2007 ). However, despite the similarity in procedure, such analogous software options do not exist for meta-analysis. Consequently, to calculate statistical power for a given meta-analysis, researchers must manually perform the calculations, use an online calculator, or utilize a user defined script (e.g., Cafri et al., 2009 ). These methods can be limited in functionality and difficult to integrate into a reproducible workflow (Griffin, 2021 ).

Besides, despite the reliability of the obtained results having been validated through the bias assessment, this study has some other limitations that should be acknowledged. For instance, the obtained results might be limited to the used keywords and electronic databases. Additionally, the obtained analysis was only based on courses conducted in English; non-English course studies might reveal different results. Moreover, while the present meta-regression yielded valuable insights about the effect of OER and OEP on learning achievement as well as the moderating variables of this effect, the limited sample size of the included studies might impact the generalizability of the findings. Therefore, future researchers are encouraged to complement this work by covering more databases and analyzing non-English courses, hence providing a more comprehensive view of OER and OEP effects. Additionally, this present meta-analysis did not consider teacher variables (e.g., same teacher or not when teaching using OER and non-OER materials) which could moderate the effects of OER and OEP on learning achievement (Hilton, 2020 ). Therefore, future studies could focus on this line of research. Finally, this present meta-analysis did not consider OER quality, which has been shown to have a significant impact on students’ learning outcomes (Butcher, 2015 ). Future research could systematically assess and incorporate OER quality as a moderating variable, hence further enhancing the understanding of the intricate relationship between OER and learning achievement. However, despite these limitations, this present study provided quantitative evidence about the OER and OEP effects on students’ learning achievement.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are presented within this study.

References with an asterisk (*) indicate studies included in the analysis

Allen, G., Guzman-Alvarez, A., Smith, A., Gamage, A., Molinaro, M., & Larsen, D. S. (2015). Evaluating the effectiveness of the open-access ChemWiki resource as a replacement for tr*aditional general chemistry textbooks. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 16 (4), 939–948. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5rp00084j

Article   Google Scholar  

Bali, M., Cronin, C., & Jhangiani, R. S. (2020). Framing open educational practices from a social justice perspective. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2020 (1), 1. https://doi.org/10.5334/jime.565

*Basu Mallick D., Grimaldi P. J., Whittle J., Waters A. E., & Baraniuk R. G. (2018). Impact of OER textbook adoption on student academic outcomes. Paper presented at the 15th Annual Open Education Conference, Niagara Falls, NY.

Bedenlier, S., Bond, M., Buntins, K., Zawacki-Richter, O., & Kerres, M. (2020). Facilitating student engagement through educational technology in higher education: A systematic review in the field of arts and humanities. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 36 , 126–150. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.5477

Borenstein, M. (2022). Comprehensive meta-analysis software. In M. Egger, J. P. T. Higgins, & G. D. Smith (Eds.), Systematic reviews in health research: Meta-analysis in context (pp. 535–548). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119099369.ch27

Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J. P., & Rothstein, H. R. (2010). A basic introduction to fixed-effect and random-effects models for meta-analysis. Research Synthesis Methods, 1 (2), 97–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.12

Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J. P. T., & Rothstein, H. R. (2021). Introduction to Meta-Analysis (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-209005-9.50005-9

Book   MATH   Google Scholar  

Bozkurt, A., Gjelsvik, T., Adam, T., Asino, T. I., Atenas, J., Bali, M., Blomgren, C., Bond, M., Bonk, C. J., Brown, M., Burgos, D., Conrad, D., Costello, E., Cronin, C., Czerniewicz, L., Deepwell, M., Deimann, M., DeWaard, H. J., Dousay, T. A., Ebner, M., Farrow, R., Gil-Jaurena, I., Havemann, L., Inamorato, A., Irvine, V., Karunanayaka, S. P., Kerres, M., Lambert, S., Lee, K., Makoe, M., Marín, V. I., Mikroyannidis, A., Mishra, S., Naidu, S., Nascimbeni, F., Nichols, M., Olcott. Jr., D., Ossiannilsson, E., Otto, D., Padilla Rodriguez, B. C., Paskevicius, M., Roberts, V., Saleem, T., Schuwer, R., Sharma, R. C., Stewart, B., Stracke, C. M., Tait, A., Tlili, A., Ubachs, G., Weidlich, J., Weller, M., Xiao, J., & Zawacki-Richter, O. (2023). Openness in Education as a Praxis: From Individual Testimonials to Collective Voices. Open Praxis, 15 (2), 76–112. https://doi.org/10.55982/openpraxis.15.2.574

Burçin, Ö. N. E. R. (2022). Evaluation of statistical power in random effect meta analyses for correlation effect size. Sakarya University Journal of Science, 26 (3), 554–567. https://doi.org/10.16984/saufenbilder.1089793

Butcher, N. (2015). Basic guide to open educational resources (OER). Commonwealth of Learning (COL). https://doi.org/10.56059/11599/36

Cafri, G., Kromrey, J. D., & Brannick, M. T. (2009). A sas macro for statistical power calculations in metaanalysis. Behavior Research Methods, 41 (1), 35–46. https://doi.org/10.3758/brm.41.1.35

Cafri, G., Kromrey, J. D., & Brannick, M. T. (2010). A meta-meta-analysis: Empirical review of statistical power, type I error rates, effect sizes, and model selection of meta-analyses published in psychology. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 45 (2), 239–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/00273171003680187

Chaudhary, P., & Singh, R. K. (2022). A meta analysis of factors affecting teaching and student learning in higher education. Front. Educ., 6 , 824504. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.824504

Chen, Z., Chen, W., Jia, J., & An, H. (2020). The effects of using mobile devices on language learning: A meta-analysis. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68 (4), 1769–1789. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09801-5

Cheung, A., & Slavin, R. E. (2016). How methodological features of research studies affect effect sizes. Educational Researcher, 45 (5), 283–292. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X16656615

*Chiorescu, M. (2017). Exploring open educational resources for college algebra. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18 (4), 50–59. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v18i4.3003

*Choi, Y. M., & Carpenter, C. (2017). Evaluating the impact of open educational resources: A case study. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 17 (4), 685–693. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2017.0041

Clark, R. E. (1994). Media will never influence learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 42 (2), 21–30. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02299088

*Clinton, V. (2018). Savings without sacrifices: A case study of open textbook adoption. Open Learning: THe Journal of Open, Distance, and e-Learning, 33 (3), 177–189. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2018.1486184

Clinton, V., & Khan, S. (2019). Efficacy of open textbook adoption on learning performance and course withdrawal rates: A meta-analysis. AERA Open, 5 (3), 2332858419872212. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419872212

Cohen, J. (1960). A coefficient of agreement for nominal scales. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 20 (1), 37–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/001316446002000104

*Colvard, N. B., Watson, C. E., & Park, H. (2018). The impact of open educational resources on various student success metrics. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 30 (2), 262–276.

Google Scholar  

Denden, M., Tlili, A., Chen, N. S., Abed, M., Jemni, M., & Essalmi, F. (2022). The role of learners’ characteristics in educational gamification systems: A systematic meta-review of the literature. Interactive Learning Environments . https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2022.2098777

Dumas-Mallet, E., Button, K. S., Boraud, T., Gonon, F., & Munafò, M. R. (2017). Low statistical power in biomedical science: A review of three human research domains. Royal Society Open Science, 4 (2), 160254. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160254

Ehlers, U.-D. (2011). Extending the territory: From open educational resources to open educational practices. Journal of Open Flexible and Distance Learning , 15(2), 1–10. http://www.jofdl.nz/index.php/JOFDL/index

*Engler, J. N., & Shedlosky-Shoemaker, R. (2019). Facilitating student success: The role of open educational resources in introductory psychology courses. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 18 (1), 36–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475725718810241

Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A.-G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G*power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39 (2), 175–191. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03193146

*Feldstein DPS, A. P., Martin, M., Hudson, A., Warren, K., Hilton III, J., & Wiley, D. (2012). Open textbooks and increased student access and outcomes. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning . https://old.eurodl.org/?p=archives&year=2012&halfyear=2&article=533

Fischer, L., Hilton, J., III., Robinson, T. J., & Wiley, D. A. (2015). A multi-institutional study of the impact of open textbook adoption on the learning outcomes of post-secondary students. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 27 (3), 159–172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-015-9101-x

Fortney, A. (2021). OER textbooks versus commercial textbooks: Quality of student learning in psychological statistics. Locus: The Seton Hall Journal of Undergraduate Research, 4 (1), 4.

Garzón, J., Pavón, J., & Baldiris, S. (2019). Systematic review and meta-analysis of augmented reality in educational settings. Virtual Reality, 23 (4), 447–459. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-019-00379-9

Geissbühler, M., Hincapié, C. A., Aghlmandi, S., Zwahlen, M., Jüni, P., & da Costa, B. R. (2021). Most published meta-regression analyses based on aggregate data suffer from methodological pitfalls: A meta-epidemiological study. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 21 , 123. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-021-01310-0

*Grewe, K., & Davis, W. P. (2017). The impact of enrollment in an OER course on student learning outcomes. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning . https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v18i4.2986

Griffin, J. W. (2021). Calculating statistical power for meta-analysis using metapower. The Quantitative Methods for Psychology., 17 (1), 24–39. https://doi.org/10.20982/tqmp.17.1.p024

Griffiths, D., Burgos, D., & Aceto, S. (2022), Credentialing learning in the European OER Ecosystem. Retrieved July, the 14th, 2023, from https://encoreproject.eu/2022/09/06/credentialing-learning-in-the-european-oerecosystem/

Griggs, R. A., & Jackson, S. L. (2017). Studying open versus traditional textbook effects on students’ course performance: Confounds abound. Teaching of Psychology, 44 (4), 306–312. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628317727641

Grimaldi, P. J., Basu Mallick, D., Waters, A. E., & Baraniuk, R. G. (2019). Do open educational resources improve student learning? implications of the access hypothesis. PLoS ONE . https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212508

*Grissett, J. O., & Huffman, C. (2019). An open versus traditional psychology textbook: Student performance, perceptions, and use. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 18 (1), 21–35. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475725718810181

*Gurung, R. A. (2017). Predicting learning: Comparing an open educational resource and standard textbooks. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 3 (3), 233–248. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000092

*Hardin, E. E., Eschman, B., Spengler, E. S., Grizzell, J. A., Moody, A. T., Ross-Sheehy, S., & Fry, K. M. (2019). What happens when trained graduate student instructors switch to an open textbook? A controlled study of the impact on student learning outcomes. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 18 (1), 48–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475725718810909

*Harvey, P., & Bond, J. (2022). The effects and implications of using open educational resources in secondary schools. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 23 (2), 107–119. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v22i3.5293

Hedges, L. (1981). Distribution theory for glass’s estimator of effect size and related estimators. Journal of Educational Statistics, 6 (2), 107–128. https://doi.org/10.3102/10769986006002107

Hedges, L., & Olkin, I. (1985). Statistical methods for meta-analysis . Academic Press.

MATH   Google Scholar  

*Hendricks, C., Reinsberg, S. A., & Rieger, G. W. (2017). The adoption of an open textbook in a large physics course: An analysis of cost, outcomes, use, and perceptions. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18 (4), 78–99. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v18i4.3006

Hilton, J. III. (2016). Open educational resources and college textbook choices: A review of research on efficacy and perceptions. Educational Technology Research and Development, 64 (4), 573–590. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-016-9434-9

Hilton, J., III. (2020). Open educational resources, student efficacy, and user perceptions: A synthesis of research published between 2015 and 2018. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68 (3), 853–876. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09700-4

*Hilton, J., III., Fischer, L., Wiley, D., & Williams, L. (2016). Maintaining momentum toward graduation: OER and the course throughput rate. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 17 (6), 18–27. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v17i6.2686

*Hilton, J. L., III., Gaudet, D., Clark, P., Robinson, J., & Wiley, D. (2013). The adoption of open educational resources by one community college math department. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 14 (4), 37–50. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v14i4.1523

Huang, R., Tlili, A., Chang, T. W., Zhang, X., Nascimbeni, F., & Burgos, D. (2020). Disrupted classes, undisrupted learning during COVID-19 outbreak in China: application of open educational practices and resources. Smart Learning Environments, 7 , 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-020-00125-8

Ioannidis, J. P. A., Greenland, S., Hlatky, M. A., Khoury, M. J., Macleod, M. R., Moher, D., Schulz, K. F., & Tibshirani, R. (2014). Increasing value and reducing waste in research design, conduct, and analysis. The Lancet, 383 (9912), 166–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62227-8

*Jhangiani, R. S., Dastur, F. N., Le Grand, R., & Penner, K. (2018). As good or better than commercial textbooks: Students’ perceptions and outcomes from using open digital and open print textbooks. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning . https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2018.1.5

Kahle, D. (2008). Designing open educational technology. In T. Iiyoshi and M. S. Vijay Kumar (Eds.), Opening up education: The collective advancement of education through open technology, open content, and open knowledge (pp. 27–45). MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262515016/opening-up-education/

*Kelly, D. P., & Rutherford, T. (2017). Khan Academy as supplemental instruction: A controlled study of a computer-based mathematics intervention. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning . https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v18i4.2984

Kitchenham, B. A., & Charters, S. (2007). Guidelines for performing systematic literature reviews in software engineering. (EBSE 2007–001). Keele University and Durham University Joint Report.

Konstantopoulos, S. P. Y. R. O. S., & Hedges, L. V. (2019). Statistically analyzing effect sizes: Fixed-and random-effects models. The Handbook of Research Synthesis and Meta-Analysis (pp. 245–280). Russell Sage Foundation. https://doi.org/10.7758/9781610448864.15

*Lawrence, C. N., & Lester, J. A. (2018). Evaluating the effectiveness of adopting open educational resources in an introductory American government course. Journal of Political Science Education, 14 (4), 555–566. https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2017.1422739

Liesa-Orus, M., Lozano Blasco, R., & Arce-Romeral, L. (2023). Digital Competence in University Lecturers: A Meta-Analysis of Teaching Challenges. Education Sciences, 13 (5), 508. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13050508

*Medley-Rath, S. (2018). Does the type of textbook matter? Results of a study of free electronic reading materials at a community college. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 42 (12), 908–918. https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2017.1389316

Morris, S. B. (2008). Estimating effect sizes from pretest-posttest-control group designs. Organizational Research Methods, 11 (2), 364–386.

OLCOS. (2007). Open Educational Practices and Resources. Available online: https://www.olcos.org/cms/upload/docs/olcos_roadmap.pdf

Orwin, R. G. (1983). A fail-safe N for effect size in meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Statistics, 8 (2), 157–159. https://doi.org/10.3102/10769986008002157

Otto, D., Schroeder, N., Diekmann, D., & Sander, P. (2021). Trends and gaps in empirical research on open educational resources (OER): A systematic mapping of the literature from 2015 to 2019. Contemporary Educational Technology, 13 (4), ep325. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11145

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71

Pawlyshyn, N., Braddlee, D., Casper, L., & Miller, H. (2013). Adopting OER: A case study of cross-institutional collaboration and innovation. Educause Review. Accessed on May 20, 2023 from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2013/11/adopting-oer-a-case-study-of-crossinstitutional-collaboration-and-innovation .

*Robinson, T. J. (2015). The effects of open educational resource adoption on measures of post-secondary student success. Brigham Young University.

Rosenthal, R., & DiMatteo, M. R. (2001). Meta-analysis: Recent developments in quantitative methods for literature reviews. Annual Review of Psychology, 52 (1), 59–82. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.59

Salomon, G., & Clark, R. (1977). Reexamining the methodology of research on media and technology in education. Review of Educational Research, 47 (1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543047001099

Shear, L., Means, B., & Lundh, P. (2015). Research on open: OER research hub review and futures for research on OER. SRI International: Menlo Park, CA, USA.

*Shemy, N., & Al-Habsi, M. (2021). The effect of a Training Program based on Open Educational Resources on the Teachers Online Professional Development and their Attitudes towards it of AL-Dakhliya Governorate in Sultanate of Oman. Journal of Elearning and Knowledge Society, 17 (1), 18–28. https://doi.org/10.20368/1971-8829/1135283

Shi, W., Ghisi, G. L. M., Zhang, L., Hyun, K., Pakosh, M., & Gallagher, R. (2023). Systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression to determine the effects of patient education on health behaviour change in adults diagnosed with coronary heart disease. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 32 (15–16), 5300–5327. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16519

Slavin, R. E., & Lake, C. (2008). Effective programs in elementary mathematics: A best-evidence synthesis. Review of Educational Research, 78 (3), 427-515. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654308317473

Smith, M. (2013). Ruminations on Research on Open Educational Resources. William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Retrieved from https://hewlett.org/library/ruminations-on-research-on-open-educational-resources/

*Sulisworo, D., & Basriyah, K. (2021). Problem based learning using open educational resources to enhance higher order thinking skills in physics learning. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1783 (1), 012108. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1783/1/012108

Thalheimer, W., & Cook, S. (2002). How to calculate effect sizes from published research: A simplified methodology. Work-Learning Research , 1(9).

Thomas, L., & Krebs, C. J. (1997). A review of statistical power analysis software. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, 78 (2), 126–138.

Thorlund, K., & Mills, E. J. (2012). Sample size and power considerations in network meta-analysis. Systematic Reviews, 1 , 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-4053-1-41

Ting, K. M. (2010). Precision and Recall BT—Encyclopedia of Machine Learning (C. Sammut & G. I. Webb (Hrsg.); S. 781). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30164-8_652

Tlili, A., Altinay, F., Huang, R., Altinay, Z., Olivier, J., Mishra, S., Jemni, M., & Burgos, D. (2022). Are we there yet? A systematic literature review of Open Educational Resources in Africa: A combined content and bibliometric analysis. PLoS ONE, 17 (1), e0262615. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262615

Tlili, A., & Burgos, D. (2022). Unleashing the power of Open Educational Practices (OEP) through Artificial Intelligence (AI): Where to begin? Interactive Learning Environments . https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2022.2101595

Tlili, A., Huang, R., Chang, T. W., Nascimbeni, F., & Burgos, D. (2019). Open educational resources and practices in China: A systematic literature review. Sustainability, 11 (18), 4867. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11184867

Tlili, A., Jemni, M., Khribi, M. K., Huang, R., Chang, T. W., & Liu, D. (2020). Current state of open educational resources in the Arab region: An investigation in 22 countries. Smart Learning Environments, 7 , 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-020-00120-z

Tlili, A., Zhang, J., Papamitsiou, Z., Manske, S., Huang, R., Kinshuk, & Hoppe, H. U. (2021). Towards utilising emerging technologies to address the challenges of using Open Educational Resources: a vision of the future. Educational Technology Research and Development , 69 , 515-532. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-021-09993-4

UN. (2021). Sustainable Development Goals. United Nations. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/

UNESCO. (2019). Recommendation on Open Educational Resources . UNESCO: Paris, France. Accessible from: https://www.unesco.org/en/legal-affairs/recommendation-open-educational-resources-oer

Vankov, I., Bowers, J., & Munafò, M. R. (2014). Article commentary: On the persistence of low power in psychological science. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 67 (5), 1037–1040. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2014.885986

Wang, H., Tlili, A., Huang, R., Cai, Z., Li, M., Cheng, Z., Yang, D., Li, M., Zhu, X., & Fei, C. (2023). Examining the applications of intelligent tutoring systems in real educational contexts: A systematic literature review from the social experiment perspective. Education and Information Technologies . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11555-x

Weller, M. (2010). Big and Little OER. Open Ed, Barcelona. http://hdl.handle.net/10609/4851

Weller, M. (2017). The Development of New Disciplines in Education – the Open Education Example. https://oro.open.ac.uk/49737/

Weller, M., de los Arcos, B., Farrow, R., Pitt, B., & McAndrew, P. (2015). The Impact of OER on Teaching and Learning Practice. Open Praxis, 7 (4), 351–361. https://doi.org/10.5944/openpraxis.7.4.227

*Westermann Juárez, W., & Venegas Muggli, J. I. (2017). Effectiveness of OER use in firstyear higher education students’ mathematical course performance: A case study. In C. Hodgkinson-Williams & P. B. Arinto (Eds.), Adoption and impact of OER in the Global South (pp. 187–229). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.601203

Wiley, D. (2014). The Access Compromise and the 5th R [blog post]. Iterating toward openness. Improving Learning: Eclectic, Pragmatic, Enthusiastic. https://opencontent.org/blog/archives/3221

Wiley, D. (2022). On the Relationship Between Adopting OER and Improving Student Outcomes. https://opencontent.org/blog/archives/6949

Wiley, D., & Hilton, J. L., III. (2018). Defining OER-enabled pedagogy. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning . https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v19i4.3601

*Winitzky-Stephens, J. R., & Pickavance, J. (2017). Open educational resources and student course outcomes: A multilevel analysis. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18 (4), 35–49. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v18i4.3118

Yuan, M., & Recker, M. (2015). Not all rubrics are equal: A review of rubrics for evaluating the quality of open educational resources. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16 (5), 16–38. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v16i5.2389

Zhang, X., Tlili, A., Huang, R., Chang, T., Burgos, D., Yang, J., & Zhang, J. (2020b). A case study of applying open educational practices in higher education during COVID-19: Impacts on learning motivation and perceptions. Sustainability, 12 (21), 9129. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219129

Zhang, X., Tlili, A., Nascimbeni, F., Burgos, D., Huang, R., Chang, T. W., Jemni, M., & Khribi, M. K. (2020a). Accessibility within open educational resources and practices for disabled learners: a systematic literature review. Smart Learning Environments, 7 , 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-019-0113-2

Zulaiha, D., & Triana, Y. (2023). Students’ perception toward the use of open educational resources to improve writing skills. Studies in English Language and Education, 10 (1), 174–196. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v10i1.25797

Download references

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

Ahmed Tlili, Ronghuai Huang & Lin Xu

Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Católica de Oriente, Rionegro, Colombia

Juan Garzón

Faculty of Educational Sciences and Teachers’ Training, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine

Soheil Salha

Research Institute for Innovation and Technology in Education (UNIR iTED), Universidad Internacional de la Rioja (UNIR), Logroño, Spain

Daniel Burgos & Aída López-Serrano

Univ. Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, LAMIH, CNRS, UMR 8201, 59313, Valenciennes, France

Mouna Denden

INSA Hauts-de-France, 59313, Valenciennes, France

Dublin City University (DCU), Dublin, Ireland

Orna Farrell

The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK

Robert Farrow

Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey

Aras Bozkurt

University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil

Athabasca University, Athabasca, Canada

Rory McGreal

Lumen Learning and Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA

David Wiley

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

Each author contributed evenly to this manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juan Garzón .

Ethics declarations

Competing interests.

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Additional information

Publisher's note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Tlili, A., Garzón, J., Salha, S. et al. Are open educational resources (OER) and practices (OEP) effective in improving learning achievement? A meta-analysis and research synthesis. Int J Educ Technol High Educ 20 , 54 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00424-3

Download citation

Received : 19 July 2023

Accepted : 26 September 2023

Published : 13 October 2023

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00424-3

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Open educational resources
• Open educational practices
• Learning achievement
• Meta-analysis
• Meta-synthesis

Book Title: Nutrition: Science and Everyday Application, v. 1.0

Subtitle: Second edition of this text is available at: https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/nutritionscience2e/

Authors: Alice Callahan, PhD; Heather Leonard, MEd, RDN; and Tamberly Powell, MS, RDN

Download this book

• Digital PDF

Book Description: This book is designed as an OER text and learning resource for undergraduate students enrolled in FN 225 Nutrition at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. The book covers basic nutrition and metabolism, information literacy, energy balance, nutrition across life stages, dietary supplements, an in-depth look at each of the macronutrients, and major functions of vitamins and minerals.

Book Information

Nutrition: Science and Everyday Application, v. 1.0 Copyright © 2020 by Alice Callahan, PhD; Heather Leonard, MEd, RDN; and Tamberly Powell, MS, RDN is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Dietetics and nutrition

Call or Text the Maternal Mental Health Hotline

Parents: don’t struggle alone

The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides free, confidential mental health support. Pregnant people, moms, and new parents can call or text any time, every day.

Start a call: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262)

Text now: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262)

Use TTY: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 , then 1-833-852-6262 .

Learn more about the Hotline

• Our Offices and Divisions

Office of Epidemiology and Research (OER)

We conduct and fund research that scientists, medical professionals, and policy makers use to advance the health and well-being of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) populations .

Our office has two divisions:

Division of Epidemiology (DOE)

• Funds and directs the National Survey of Children’s Health
• Provides training and resources to build the skills of data users and MCH epidemiologists

Division of Research (DOR)

• Funds and oversees research in maternal and child health with a special focus on autism and health equity
• Sets out Strategic Research Issues guidance for existing and potential grantees that defines what we want to accomplish through our funded research
• Learn about the history of our maternal and child health research program

Key Accomplishments

Broadly, we advance MCH population health through:

Child health surveys

• Medical home access
• Presence and impact of special health care needs
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• Healthy and Ready to Learn

Access our recent NSCH publications and data releases

• Partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau to sponsor content on the Household Pulse Survey . This monitors the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's mental health.
• Funding and designing the NSCH Longitudinal Cohort study to follow up with 2018-2019 NSCH respondents. This will provide publicly available data on longer-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. children and their families.

Building MCH epidemiological capacity

• Graduate Student Epidemiology Program (GSEP)
• Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Epidemiology Training Course
• Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Epidemiology Doctoral Training
• Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Epidemiology Conference
• Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health
• Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Programs

Funding research

In addition to our NSCH, we have funded over 350 awardees since 2000 through:

• Research Networks
• Field-Initiated Innovation Research Studies (FIRST)
• Secondary Data Analysis Research Studies (SDAR)
• Single Investigator Innovation Program (SIIP)

Resulting in:

• Over 2,000 peer-reviewed research journal publications

In FY 2021, our Research Network and Single Investigator Innovation Program grantees have:

• Distributed 9 clinical guidelines to transform care
• Conducted over 209 studies across 558 research sites
• Enrolled nearly 4 million individuals in primary and secondary research

Supporting Researchers

Consider joining our Engaging Research Innovation and Challenges (EnRICH) webinar series which:

• Provides a national forum for researchers to discuss new solutions to maternal and child health research and practice
• Provides guidance on how to improve both the grant-writing and research process and respond to emerging issues
• Engages an average of more than 200 participants from the fields of public health, medicine, nursing, epidemiology, nutrition, psychology, social work, and special education

Michael D. Kogan, Ph.D . Director

Students Will Perform Research at National Laboratories

WASHINGTON, D.C . – The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Science has selected 86 graduate students representing 31 states and Puerto Rico for the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program’s 2023 Solicitation 2 cycle. Through world-class training and access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources at DOE national laboratories, SCGSR prepares graduate students to enter jobs of critical importance to the DOE mission and secures our national position at the forefront of discovery and innovation.

“The Graduate Student Research program is a unique opportunity for graduate students to complete their PhD training with teams of world-class experts aiming to answer some of the most challenging problems in fundamental science,” said Harriet Kung, Acting Director of the DOE Office of Science . “Gaining access to cutting edge tools for scientific discovery at DOE national laboratories will be instrumental in preparing the next generation of scientific leaders.”

Awardees were selected from a diverse pool of graduate applicants from institutions around the country. Selection was based on merit review by external scientific experts. Since 2014, the SCGSR program has provided more than 1150 U.S. graduate awardees from 165 universities with supplemental funds to conduct part of their thesis research at a host DOE laboratory in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist. In this cohort, more than 31% of SCGSR awardees are women, about 16% of the awardees attend Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), and 13% are from institutions in jurisdictions that are part of the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

SCGSR awardees work on research projects of significant importance to the Office of Science mission that address critical energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges at national and international scales. Projects in this cohort span seven Office of Science research programs. Awards were made through the SCGSR program’s first of two annual solicitation cycles for FY 2023.

Applications for the ongoing 2024 Solicitation 1 cycle are due 5:00pm EST, May 1, 2024. Graduate students currently pursuing Ph.D. degrees in areas of physics, chemistry, material sciences, biology (non-medical), geology, planetary sciences, mathematics, engineering, computer or computational sciences, or specific areas of environmental sciences that are aligned with the mission of the Office of Science are eligible to apply to the SCGSR program. The research projects are expected to advance the graduate awardees’ overall doctoral research and training while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the DOE national laboratories. The award cohort from the 2024 Solicitation 1 cycle is expected to be announced around September 2024.

A list of the 86 awardees, their institutions, host DOE laboratory/facility, and priority research areas of projects can be found at the SCGSR Awards and Publications page.

For more information on SCGSR, please go to the Office of Science Graduate Student Research program page .

• Washington State University
• Go to wsu twitter
• Go to wsu facebook
• Go to wsu linkedin

Voiland College names 2024 outstanding students

Washington State University Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture recognized outstanding students at its annual convocation ceremony on April 11. The event was sponsored by the Boeing Company. Honored award winners included:

• Outstanding Sophomore: Rylee Gannon A chemical engineering major with a 3.8 GPA, Rylee Gannon is a research assistant for Professor Steve Saunders, where she synthesizes and characterizes nanomaterials for use as catalysts in oxidation reactions Gannon also works in the Frank Innovation Zone and is an active member of the Society of Women Engineers.
• Outstanding Junior: Ethan Villalovoz Ethan Villalovoz is a computer science student with a GPA of 3.99, specializing in data mining, machine learning, and data science. Some of his more notable achievements include being a CS Research Mentorship Program Scholar, a Generation Google Scholarship Recipient, and a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar. He has also engaged in extensive extracurricular activities, including internships at Google and a research position at Carnegie Mellon University.
• Outstanding Senior: Katy Ayers A Fulbright Fellowship Award and Marshall Scholarship Semifinalist, Katy Ayers is the first WSU student to win the Udall Scholar in Environment award. Her thirst for knowledge has given her robust research experience around the country and the world. One of Ayers’ nominators said, “Although I have worked with many outstanding students in my 20 years of teaching at the undergraduate level, I don’t think I have met anyone with Katy’s experiences, accomplishments and passion. She is motivated, demonstrates curiosity and critical thinking and communicates incredibly well.”
• Outstanding Teaching Assistant for grading/office hours: Kutay Sesli Kutay Sesli’s nominators were impressed by his innovative approaches and genuine care for students this past year. Kutay recognized that that conventional ways to grade assignments might not provide a full picture of where students need improvement, so he took the initiative to develop an innovative, consistent, fair, and detailed grading system that helped students develop trust in the grading process and a better understanding of how to improve their performance throughout the semester. He approaches each task with the mindset of a true engineer, and the results left no doubt that his grading was done with meticulous attention to detail and with the best outcomes for students in mind. Among the feedback students have given include: “Kutay is the best TA all semester, excellent job!” and “Kutay is dope!”
• Outstanding Teaching Assistant — Teaching/Instruction: Chris Pereyda Chris Pereyda has served as teaching assistant in several courses, including Introduction to Computer Programming. In one of his courses there were more than 500 students. One of those students said of Chris: “He is one of the best TAs I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. Being a Computer Science student can be difficult, but his explanations and knowledge of the source material helped me grasp some of the concepts better and persevere.” One of his faculty members said, “Chris was one of my most reliable, impactful, and effective TAs during my twenty years of teaching at WSU. Chris is the ideal example of a lead teaching assistant. He is knowledgeable in the area, patient with TAs and students, flexible and adaptive to different TAs’ and students’ styles and paces. There is not a better example of a TA than Chris.
• Outstanding Research Assistant: Ali Mahmoodigahrouei As a PhD candidate at WSU, Ali Mahmoodigahrouei has shown an exceptional academic record and research skills. Since joining WSU in 2022, he has published 14 impactful papers with over 300 citations, earning several prestigious awards, including the David C. Goss Scholarship and the “UTC Outstanding Student of the Year Award.” His nominators feel he consistently goes above and beyond expectations, managing multiple projects simultaneously and with great success. He also excels as a mentor, effectively supervising undergraduate students while providing valuable assistance to other PhD students in his research group.
• Outstanding Dissertation: Lin Shao Lin Shao’s nominators say that he is a truly exceptional graduate student and has done excellent research on chemical recycling of plastic waste by aminolysis and utilization of the recycled compounds for preparation of new polymer materials. His thesis research has received a broad interest from researchers around the world. Shao, as one of guest speakers, was invited to give a seminar at the Royal Society of Chemistry and Chemistry World. His research was also featured by “The Voice of America.”

Spanish, bilingual course from WSU Extension creates climate ambassadors

Recent news.

Todd Butler resigns as College of Arts and Sciences dean

Tri-state team releases calendar guide for more productive, sustainable pastures

WSU to study effect of controversial drug on racehorses

Regents start search process for next WSU president

Second chances: Graduate student receives NSF research fellowship

Search Resources

Education standards, subject area.

• Applied Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Health, Medicine and Nursing
• Information Science
• Arts and Humanities
• Art History
• Visual Arts
• World Cultures
• Career and Technical Education
• Agriculture
• Environmental Studies
• Maritime Science
• Early Childhood Development
• Elementary Education
• Language Education (ESL)
• English Language Arts
• Composition and Rhetoric
• Reading Informational Text
• Speaking and Listening
• U.S. History
• World History
• Life Science
• Forestry and Agriculture
• Mathematics
• Measurement and Data
• Numbers and Operations
• Physical Science
• Atmospheric Science
• Physical Geography
• Space Science
• Social Science
• Cultural Geography
• Ethnic Studies
• Gender and Sexuality Studies

Education Level

• Upper Primary
• Middle School
• Lower Primary
• High School
• Adult Education
• Community College / Lower Division
• Career / Technical
• College / Upper Division
• Graduate / Professional

Material Type

• Lesson Plan
• Unit of Study
• Activity/Lab
• Teaching/Learning Strategy
• Homework/Assignment
• Full Course
• Interactive
• Diagram/Illustration
• Primary Source
• Student Guide
• Lecture Notes

License Types

• Unrestricted Use
• Public Domain
• Creative Commons BY
• Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
• Creative Commons BY-SA
• Creative Commons BY-NC
• Creative Commons BY-NC-SA
• Read the Fine Print
• Some rights reserved
• Educational Use Permitted

Content Source

• Open Author 2.0
• Content Provider Resources

Primary User

• Administrator

Media Format

• Downloadable docs
• Graphics/Photos

Educational Use

• Curriculum/Instruction
• Professional Development
• Informal Education

Please log in to save materials. Log in

How does a one-way mirror work? Though most everyone knows that one-way …

How does a one-way mirror work? Though most everyone knows that one-way mirrors exist, having students model how they work turns out to be a very effective way to develop their thinking about how visible light travels and how we see images. Initial student models reveal a wide variety of ideas and explanations that motivate the unit investigations that help students figure out what is going on and lead them to a deeper understanding of the world around them.

As the first unit in the OpenSciEd program, during the course of this unit, students also develop the foundation for classroom norms for collaboration that will be important across the whole program.

This unit on thermal energy transfer begins with students testing whether a …

This unit on thermal energy transfer begins with students testing whether a new plastic cup sold by a store keeps a drink colder for longer than the regular plastic cup that comes free with the drink.

Through a series of lab investigations and simulations, students find two ways to transfer energy into the drink: (1) the absorption of light and (2) thermal energy from the warmer air around the drink. They are then challenged to design their own drink container that can perform as well as the store-bought container, following a set of design criteria and constraints.

Unit Summary This unit on thermal energy transfer begins with students testing …

Unit Summary This unit on thermal energy transfer begins with students testing whether a new plastic cup sold by a store keeps a drink colder for longer compared to the regular plastic cup that comes free with the drink. Students find that the drink in the regular cup warms up more than the drink in the special cup. This prompts students to identify features of the cups that are different, such as the lid, walls, and hole for the straw, that might explain why one drink warms up more than the other.  Students investigate the different cup features they conjecture are important to explaining the phenomenon, starting with the lid. They model how matter can enter or exit the cup via evaporation However, they find that in a completely closed system, the liquid inside the cup still changes temperature. This motivates the need to trace the transfer of energy into the drink as it warms up. Through a series of lab investigations and simulations, students find that there are two ways to transfer energy into the drink: (1) the absorption of light and (2) thermal energy from the warmer air around the drink. They are then challenged to design their own drink container that can perform as well as the store-bought container, following a set of design criteria and constraints. This unit builds toward the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs) as described in the OpenSciEd Scope & Sequence: MS-PS1-4*, MS-PS3-3, MS-PS3-4, MS-PS3-5, MS-PS4-2*, MS-ETS1-4. The OpenSciEd units are designed for hands-on learning and therefore materials are necessary to teach the unit. These materials can be purchased as science kits or assembled using the kit material list.

The goals of OpenSciEd are to ensure any science teacher, anywhere, can …

The goals of OpenSciEd are to ensure any science teacher, anywhere, can access and download freely available, high quality, locally adaptable full-course materials. REMOTE LEARNING GUIDE FOR THIS UNIT NOW AVAILABLE!

This unit on weather, climate, and water cycling is broken into four separate lesson sets. In the first two lesson sets, students explain small-scale storms. In the third and fourth lesson sets, students explain mesoscale weather systems and climate-level patterns of precipitation. Each of these two parts of the unit is grounded in a different anchoring phenomenon.

In this plate tectonics and rock cycling unit, students come to see …

In this plate tectonics and rock cycling unit, students come to see that the Earth is much more active and alive than they have thought before. The unit launches with documentation of a 2015 Himalayan earthquake that shifted Mt. Everest suddenly to the southwest direction. Students read texts, explore earthquake and landform patterns using a data visualization tool, and study GPS data.

This unit is part of the OpenSciEd core instructional materials for middle school.

This unit begins with students experiencing, through text and video, a devastating …

This unit begins with students experiencing, through text and video, a devastating natural event that caused major flooding in coastal towns of Japan. Through this anchoring phenomenon, students think about ways to detect tsunamis, warn people, and reduce damage from the wave. As students design solutions to solve this problem, they begin to wonder about the natural hazard itself: what causes it, where it happens, and how it causes damage.

This unit launches with students hearing about an injury that happened to …

This unit launches with students hearing about an injury that happened to a middle school student that caused him to need stitches, pins, and a cast. They analyze doctor reports and develop an initial model for what is going on in our body when it heals. Students investigate what the different parts of our body are made of, from the macro scale to the micro scale. They figure out parts of our body are made of cells and that these cells work together for our body to function.

To pique students’ curiosity and anchor the learning for the unit in …

To pique students’ curiosity and anchor the learning for the unit in the visible and concrete, students start with an experience of observing and analyzing a bath bomb as it fizzes and eventually disappears in the water. Their observations and questions about what is going on drive learning that digs into a series of related phenomena as students iterate and improve their models depicting what happens during chemical reactions. By the end of the unit, students have a firm grasp on how to model simple molecules, know what to look for to determine if chemical reactions have occurred, and apply their knowledge to chemical reactions to show how mass is conserved when atoms are rearranged.

In this 21-day unit, students are introduced to the anchoring phenomenon—a flameless …

In this 21-day unit, students are introduced to the anchoring phenomenon—a flameless heater in a Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) that provides hot food to people by just adding water. Students explore the inside of an MRE flameless heater, then do investigations to collect evidence to support the idea that this heater and another type of flameless heater are undergoing chemical reactions as they get warm. Students have an opportunity to reflect on the engineering design process, defining stakeholders, and refining the criteria and constraints for the design solution.

Unit Summary This unit on metabolic reactions in the human body starts …

Unit Summary This unit on metabolic reactions in the human body starts out with students exploring a real case study of a middle-school girl named M’Kenna, who reported some alarming symptoms to her doctor. Her symptoms included an inability to concentrate, headaches, stomach issues when she eats, and a lack of energy for everyday activities and sports that she used to play regularly. She also reported noticeable weight loss over the past few months, in spite of consuming what appeared to be a healthy diet. Her case sparks questions and ideas for investigations around trying to figure out which pathways and processes in M’Kenna’s body might be functioning differently than a healthy system and why.  Students investigate data specific to M’Kenna’s case in the form of doctor’s notes, endoscopy images and reports, growth charts, and micrographs. They also draw from their results from laboratory experiments on the chemical changes involving the processing of food and from digital interactives to explore how food is transported, transformed, stored, and used across different body systems in all people. Through this work of figuring out what is causing M’Kenna’s symptoms, the class discovers what happens to the food we eat after it enters our bodies and how M’Kenna’s different symptoms are connected. This unit builds towards the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs) as described in the OpenSciEd Scope & Sequence: MS-LS1-3, MS-LS1-5, MS-LS1-7, MS-PS1-1, MS-PS1-2. The OpenSciEd units are designed for hands-on learning, and therefore materials are necessary to teach the unit. These materials can be purchased as science kits or assembled using the kit material list. Additional Unit InformationNext Generation Science Standards Addressed in this UnitPerformance ExpectationsThis unit builds toward the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs):

This unit on metabolic reactions in the human body starts out with …

This unit on metabolic reactions in the human body starts out with students exploring a real case study of a middle-school girl named M’Kenna, who reported some alarming symptoms to her doctor.

Students investigate data specific to M’Kenna’s case in the form of doctor’s notes, endoscopy images and reports, growth charts, and micrographs. They also draw from their results from laboratory experiments on the chemical changes involving the processing of food and from digital interactives to explore how food is transported, transformed, stored, and used across different body systems in all people.

Students figure out that they can trace all food back to plants, …

Students figure out that they can trace all food back to plants, including processed and synthetic food. They obtain and communicate information to explain how matter gets from living things that have died back into the system through processes done by decomposers. Students finally explain that the pieces of their food are constantly recycled between living and nonliving parts of a system.

How does changing an ecosystem affect what lives there? This unit on …

How does changing an ecosystem affect what lives there? This unit on ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity begins with students reading headlines that claim that the future of orangutans is in peril and that the purchasing of chocolate may be the cause. Students then examine the ingredients in popular chocolate candies and learn that one of these ingredients--palm oil--is grown on farms near the rainforest where orangutans live. This prompts students to develop initial models to explain how buying candy could impact orangutans.

Oh, no! I’ve dropped my phone! Most of us have experienced the …

Oh, no! I’ve dropped my phone! Most of us have experienced the panic of watching our phones slip out of our hands and fall to the floor. We’ve experienced the relief of picking up an undamaged phone and the frustration of the shattered screen. This common experience anchors learning in the Contact Forces unit as students explore a variety of phenomena to figure out, “Why do things sometimes get damaged when they hit each other?”

Student questions about the factors that result in a shattered cell phone screen lead them to investigate what is really happening to any object during a collision. They make their thinking visible with free-body diagrams, mathematical models, and system models to explain the effects of relative forces, mass, speed, and energy in collisions. Students then use what they have learned about collisions to engineer something that will protect a fragile object from damage in a collision. They investigate which materials to use, gather design input from stakeholders to refine the criteria and constraints, develop micro and macro models of how their solution is working, and optimize their solution based on data from investigations. Finally, students apply what they have learned from the investigation and design to a related design problem.

In this unit, students develop ideas related to how sounds are produced, …

In this unit, students develop ideas related to how sounds are produced, how they travel through media, and how they affect objects at a distance. Their investigations are motivated by trying to account for a perplexing anchoring phenomenon — a truck is playing loud music in a parking lot and the windows of a building across the parking lot visibly shake in response to the music.

Unit Summary In this unit, students develop ideas related to how sounds …

Unit Summary In this unit, students develop ideas related to how sounds are produced, how they travel through media, and how they affect objects at a distance. Their investigations are motivated by trying to account for a perplexing anchoring phenomenon — a truck is playing loud music in a parking lot and the windows of a building across the parking lot visibly shake in response to the music. They make observations of sound sources to revisit the K–5 idea that objects vibrate when they make sounds. They figure out that patterns of differences in those vibrations are tied to differences in characteristics of the sounds being made. They gather data on how objects vibrate when making different sounds to characterize how a vibrating object’s motion is tied to the loudness and pitch of the sounds they make. Students also conduct experiments to support the idea that sound needs matter to travel through, and they will use models and simulations to explain how sound travels through matter at the particle level. This unit builds toward the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs) as described in the OpenSciEd Scope & Sequence: MS-PS4-1, MS-PS4-2. The OpenSciEd units are designed for hands-on learning and therefore materials are necessary to teach the unit. These materials can be purchased as science kits or assembled using the kit material list.

This unit launches with a slow-motion video of a speaker as it …

This unit launches with a slow-motion video of a speaker as it plays music. Students dissect speakers to explore the inner workings, and engineer homemade cup speakers to manipulate the parts of the speaker. They identify that most speakers have the same parts–a magnet, a coil of wire, and a membrane. Students investigate each of these parts to figure out how they work together in the speaker system.

This unit launches with a slow-motion video of a speaker as it plays music. In the previous unit, students developed a model of sound. This unit allows students to investigate the cause of a speaker’s vibration in addition to the effect.

Students dissect speakers to explore the inner workings, and engineer homemade cup speakers to manipulate the parts of the speaker. They identify that most speakers have the same parts–a magnet, a coil of wire, and a membrane. Students investigate each of these parts to figure out how they work together in the speaker system. Along the way, students manipulate the components (e.g. changing the strength of the magnet, number of coils, direction of current) to see how this technology can be modified and applied to a variety of contexts, like MagLev trains, junkyard magnets, and electric motors.

How are we connected to the patterns we see in the sky …

How are we connected to the patterns we see in the sky and space? Students develop models for the Earth-Sun and Earth-Sun-Moon systems that explain some of the patterns in the sky that they have identified, including seasons, eclipses, and lunar phases. They investigate a series of related phenomena motivated by their questions and ideas for investigations.

Why are living things different from one another? This unit on genetics …

Why are living things different from one another? This unit on genetics starts out with students noticing and wondering about photos of two cattle, one of whom has significantly more muscle than the other. Students figure out how muscles typically develop as a result of environmental factors such as exercise and diet. Then, they work with cattle pedigrees, including data about chromosomes and proteins, to figure out genetic factors that influence the heavily muscled phenotype and explore selective breeding in cattle.

Welcome to the People of Science podcast, where we explore the stories and experiences of graduate students, doctors, and scientists. Each episode, we'll sit down with a different guest to learn about their journey through their respective fields, and the challenges and opportunities they've encountered along the way. Whether you're a student interested in a career in science, or just want to learn more about the people behind their title, this podcast is for you. Join us as we delve into the lives of the people of science.

People of Science with Jon Choy Jon Choy

• APR 4, 2024

Lucas J. Encarnacion-Riveria, Neuroscience PhD @ Stanford

In this installment, we chat with Lucas who is a 4th year neuroscience PhD student at Stanford university. Join us as we discuss his hobbies outside of science, journey to science, research projects, struggles/successes, mentors, the neuroscience program, and future career outlook. 

• FEB 26, 2024

Caroline Scheuing, BioSci PhD @ Stanford

Caroline is a first year PhD student in Stanford's BioSci program. In this episode, we learn some of the unique aspects of the program, how her valuable research experience at the University of Michigan led her pursuing a PhD, and how to optimize the timing of your PhD application process to mitigate burnout. 

• DEC 28, 2022

Spencer, NIH-GPP Student

In this podcast episode, Spencer shares his journey as a PhD student in neuroscience at Georgetown University and the NIH, discussing the interdisciplinary nature of the field and the benefits of secure funding and access to resources at the NIH. He also reflects on his experiences with failure and offers advice for undergraduate students exploring research and PhD programs.

Linh Pham, NIH OxCam Scholar

In this podcast episode, Linh discusses their journey from undergraduate studies to medical school and the MD-PhD program, their experience as a medical student, and their future goals as a physician scientist. Linh emphasizes the importance of reflecting on one’s personal values and goals before committing to a long program like the MD-PhD.

Maryonne Snow-Smith, NIH-GPP student

Get ready to be inspired by Maryonne’s journey from high school overachiever to PhD, student years after her undergraduate career. Find out what motivated her to pursue a career in science and hear her long-term goals of becoming a clinical laboratory director and continuing her research in infectious diseases.

Yasemin Cole, NIH OxCam Scholar

In this episode, we hear from Yasemin, an MD-PhD student at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Yasemin shares her personal journey to becoming an MD-PhD student, her experiences in the Oxford-Cambridge program, and her future goals as a physician-scientist. 

• © 2024 People of Science with Jon Choy

Top Podcasts In Arts

• B.S. Students
• M.S. Students
• Ph.D. Students
• D-Clearance
• Directed Research
• Information for Graders and Course Producers
• Microsoft Imagine
• CS Student Organizations
• CS Library Guide
• CS Job Announcements

[UG/MS/PhD] USC Makers Spring 2024 Showcase

The following announcement is from USC Makers. Please contact them directly if you have any questions.

Published on April 23rd, 2024

Last updated on April 23rd, 2024

• CS Announcements
• Job/Research Opportunities
• Undergraduate
• Chair’s Welcome
• Awards and Honors
• CS@SC Institutes
• Media Coverage
• Newsletters and Fact Sheets
• CS Industry Affiliate Program
• Bekey Lecture
• Driving Directions
• Open Staff Positions
• Open Faculty Positions
• Centers and Institutes
• Research Areas and Labs
• Technical Reports
• Annual Research Review
• Undergraduate Research Experiences
• Faculty Directory
• Staff Directory
• Getting Started with CS@USC
• B.S. Program
• M.S. Program
• Ph.D. Program
• Data Science Program
• Graduate Certificate
• Distance Education
• K-12 Outreach
• Academic Advisement
• B.S. Application Information
• M.S. Application Information
• Ph.D. Application Information

• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

Onrí Jay Benally receives 2024 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Doctoral student Onrí Jay Benally is a 2024 recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Benally is currently pursuing his doctoral research under the guidance of Distinguished McKnight Professor and Robert F. Hartmann chair Jian-Ping Wang exploring the world of quantum computing and spintronic devices. 

A Navaho (Diné) tribesman and carpenter, Benally comes to us from the mountains of Red Valley and Oak Springs, Arizona. After graduating from tribal high school, he found himself building off-road electric vehicles at a Utah State University lab led by Professors Curtiz Frazier and Jared Barrett. Two years later, in 2017, he transferred to the University of Minnesota and accepted a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) through the NSF-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the University. During this time, he worked with Professor Vlad Pribiag (School of Physics and Astronomy) building nanoelectronic devices in the cleanroom for Majorana fermion research. The REU was Benally’s first brush with quantum technology exploration. He returned to the MRSEC REU in summer 2018 and this time he worked with Wang on micro and nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions for classical computer memory and logic applications. He earned his bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies from the University in 2021. 

While Benally was working on his undergraduate degree, he earned an IBM certificate in quantum computation using Qiskit, and began hypothesizing how metallic-based spintronics and new architectures could be used to support the expansion of quantum supercomputing worldwide. The initial hypothesis motivated him to enter ECE’s doctoral program in fall 2022. 

Reflecting on his interest in quantum technology and his skills as a carpenter, Benally says, "Carpentry was my livelihood on the tribe before completing my undergraduate degree. It is a big part of who I am and has indirectly led to my success as a nanofabricator of spintronics and quantum chips." Benally shares that one of his first toys as a kid was a toy hammer. 

Benally’s research interests revolve around the engineering of quantum computing hardware and spintronic devices. An interdisciplinary area, his research involves the nanofabrication of ultrafast nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions, cryogenic magnetic random-access memory (cryo-MRAM), and hybrid spintronic quantum processing units (QPUs), systems that can form scalable, sustainable quantum hardware architectures. Under the guidance of Wang, Benally designs and fabricates these systems at the Minnesota Nano Center at the University. Benally addressed these new developments in his keynote speech at the Arizona State University-led Quantum Collaborative Summit this past fall in San Antonio, Texas. Over the upcoming summer, Benally will be a graduate intern with IBM Research in Yorktown Heights, New York. As a quantum hardware engineer, he will be working on cutting edge cryogenic electronics for large-scale superconducting quantum computers.

Benally has accepted the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and feels honored to start delivering on his proposed ideas on supporting quantum supercomputing through spintronics and new architectures. 

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program helps “ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States.” Learn about the program and eligibility requirements.

Related feature stories

• In Conversation with alumna Pushpavati Paladugu
• Wen Zhou receives doctoral dissertation fellowship and Early Innovation Fund award
• Burhaneddin Yaman recognized with best dissertation award
• Renata Saha's team wins third place at MMM 2022 Magnetic Sensor Challenge
• Alumnus Thomas Coughlin is 2023 IEEE President-Elect
• Future undergraduate students
• Future transfer students
• Future graduate students
• Future international students
• Diversity and Inclusion Opportunities
• Learn abroad
• Living Learning Communities
• Mentor programs
• Programs for women
• Student groups
• Visit, Apply & Next Steps
• Information for current students
• Departments and majors overview
• Departments
• Undergraduate majors
• Graduate programs
• Integrated Degree Programs
• Additional degree-granting programs
• Online learning
• Academic Advising overview
• Academic Advising FAQ
• Academic Advising Blog
• Appointments and drop-ins
• Academic support
• Commencement
• Four-year plans
• Honors advising
• Policies, procedures, and forms
• Career Services overview
• Resumes and cover letters
• Jobs and internships
• Interviews and job offers
• CSE Career Fair
• Major and career exploration
• Graduate school
• Collegiate Life overview
• Scholarships
• Diversity & Inclusivity Alliance
• Anderson Student Innovation Labs
• Information for alumni
• Get engaged with CSE
• Upcoming events
• CSE Alumni Society Board
• Alumni volunteer interest form
• Golden Medallion Society Reunion
• 50-Year Reunion
• Alumni honors and awards
• Outstanding Achievement
• Alumni Service
• Distinguished Leadership
• Honorary Doctorate Degrees
• Nobel Laureates
• Alumni resources
• Alumni career resources
• Alumni news outlets
• CSE branded clothing
• International alumni resources
• Inventing Tomorrow magazine
• Update your info
• CSE giving overview
• Why give to CSE?
• College priorities
• Give online now
• External relations
• Giving priorities
• Donor stories
• Impact of giving
• Ways to give to CSE
• Matching gifts
• CSE directories
• Invest in your company and the future
• Recruit our students
• Connect with researchers
• K-12 initiatives
• Diversity initiatives
• Research news
• Give to CSE
• CSE priorities
• Corporate relations
• Information for faculty and staff
• Administrative offices overview
• Office of the Dean
• Academic affairs
• Finance and Operations
• Communications
• Human resources
• Undergraduate programs and student services
• CSE Committees
• CSE policies overview
• Academic policies
• Faculty hiring and tenure policies
• Finance policies and information
• Graduate education policies
• Human resources policies
• Research policies
• Research overview
• Research centers and facilities
• Research proposal submission process
• Research safety
• Award-winning CSE faculty
• National academies
• University awards
• Honorary professorships
• Collegiate awards
• Other CSE honors and awards
• Staff awards
• Performance Management Process
• Work. With Flexibility in CSE
• K-12 outreach overview
• Summer camps
• Outreach events
• Enrichment programs
• Field trips and tours
• CSE K-12 Virtual Classroom Resources
• Educator development
• Sponsor an event

• Kansas State University

Status of ITS resources

• K-State home
• » K-State News
• » K-State students receive NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program awards

K-State News

• K-State Today
• Seek research magazine
• Graduation/honors lists

K-State News Kansas State University 128 Dole Hall 1525 Mid-Campus Dr North Manhattan, KS 66506

785-532-2535 [email protected]

K-State students receive NSF Graduate Research Fellowship awards

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

MANHATTAN — Eight current and former K-State students were selected or named honorable mention for the National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program , a five-year fellowship that includes an annual stipend of $37,000. The current students selected for the program are Kalea Nippert, senior in ecology and evolutionary biology, St. George ; Kale Stahl, senior in applied mathematics and physics, Topeka ; Carson Connard , senior in mathematics, The Woodlands, Texas ; and Shannon Ruble, doctoral student in psychology, Parkersburg, West Virginia . The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, or NSF GRFP, recognizes graduate students pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees in mathematics, engineering, technology or science. Its purpose is to maintain quality, vitality and diversity in the nation's scientific and engineering workforce. "These exceptional students have been honored with this prestigious fellowship, showcasing not only their academic ability but also their commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge," said David Rosowsky, vice president for research. "We are proud of their achievements and anticipate the groundbreaking discoveries and innovations they will lead in the future." Nippert, who will graduate in May, has been completing an undergraduate research project under Zak Ratajczak, assistant professor of biology, since 2022. Her research is focused on understanding extreme fire effects within woody plant communities and if extreme fire could be used as a management strategy to control woody encroachment occurring throughout global grassland and savanna ecosystems. "The NSF GRFP will allow me to be fully funded — my tuition will be paid for the duration of my Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina Greensboro," Nippert said. "This will help me reach my goals of getting a Ph.D. and becoming a research ecologist. I am very honored and excited to have the chance to receive the GRFP." Stahl is researching inverse scattering problems, with Dinh-Liem Nguyen, associate professor of mathematics. The purpose of their research is to develop a stable "imaging functional" for periodic objects. "The GRF is a very prestigious award, and receiving it will allow me to focus on research and passing my qualifying exams in my first years of graduate school," Stahl said. "I will be attending Purdue University's mathematics Ph.D. program in the fall, and this fellowship will allow me to start research almost immediately. I'm very excited that I will be able to do more research earlier, as research is by far my favorite part of studying mathematics." Connard, who will graduate Summa Cum Laude in May, is working with Lino Amorim, associate professor of mathematics, on a project focused on developing algebraic invariants for Lagrangian suborbifolds. "The GRFP will not only allow me to focus significantly more time and energy on research in graduate school, but it will also allow me to live more comfortably due to the generous size of the fellowship," Connard said. "I intend to pursue my Ph.D., and I aim to work in research — ideally in the academic realm — as a career. I am absolutely and completely honored to have received this prestigious distinction, and I have only just begun to reap its benefits." Connard will attend the University of Washington in the fall to pursue his Ph.D. Ruble is in her second year studying neural mechanisms of fear and avoidance behaviors in rats and how social interactions impact them. She is conducting her research with Maria Diehl, professor of psychological sciences. Ruble, who will complete her doctorate in the spring of 2027, said that after she earns her Ph.D., she plans to pursue a career in either academia or science communication. "The NSF GRFP provides me with an opportunity to conduct high-quality research and communicate the findings through publications and conference presentations," Ruble said. "I will also be able to mentor undergraduates involved in my GRFP-funded work and help them pursue careers in STEM as I would in a future career in academia." Abigail Schmidt, senior in environmental biology and natural resources and environmental science, Shawnee , was named honorable mention. Her research focuses on how climate extremes, like drought, will impact ecosystem structure and function. Ratajczak, assistant professor biology, is her research mentor. Schmidt will attend graduate school at Utah State University to study savanna ecosystems. Along with Nippert, Stahl, Connard, Ruble and Schmidt, three recent K-State graduates were also selected for the fellowship or named honorable mention: Reilly Jensen, a May 2021 bachelor's graduate in Spanish and biology, Buhler , who is at Wichita State University, fellowship recipient; Maxwell Harman, a May 2022 bachelor's graduate in biochemistry, Inman , who is now at Michigan State University, fellowship recipient; and Cole Wilson, May 2021 bachelor's graduate in biochemistry, Wichita , who is now at Northwestern University, honorable mention. Please visit the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program website for more information about the program. Kansas State University undergraduates and first-year graduate students interested in applying for the NSF Graduate Fellowship should contact Beth Powers, director of Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research and the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships , at [email protected] .

Media contact

Division of Communications and Marketing 785-532-2535 [email protected]

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships

Buhler, Inman, Shawnee, St. George, Topeka and Wichita, Kansas; The Woodlands, Texas; and Parkersburg, West Virginia.

• Statements and disclosures
• Accessibility

• Manhattan, KS 66506
• 785-532-6011
• © Kansas State University
• Updated: 4/24/24