OER Repositories

Discussion

Stephen Downes:

"In the field of OERs, access is typically maintained through software systems called `repositories' (software, meanwhile, is accessed through specialized version control systems, such as CVS or Subversion). Configurations vary, but the following is typical: (UNESCO, 2002a)

- Resources should be stored in distributed databases.

- They may be downloaded from there for adaptation or use.

- There will be one centrally maintained index of resources.

- The courseware is very dynamic; the index will represent a snapshot in time and will need to be regularly updated

- The index will include a full history of the provenance and use of the resources as well as users' feedback and comments.

Numerous OER repository projects exist, including MERLOT, NSDL, CAREO, and more. Additionally, various repository software projects have been undertaken, including the Open Archives Initiative, DSpace, and eduSource. It is worth noting that resources stored in repositories, even those just listed, may not be open educational resources; some repository projects, such as Advanced Distributed Learning's CORDRA project, often include access controls and even digital rights as part of their core functionality. It can be argued that the mechanism for accessing OERs, even those that may be freely used and even modified, impacts on whether such resources may be considered to be `open'. Some repository networks, particularly those that form repository `federations', restrict access to (for example) students at member educational institutions. It is argued that such networks, while not charging directly for access, nonetheless impose access fees indirectly by requiring that users enroll in (and pay tuition for) university courses. (Downes, 2004)." (http://www.downes.ca/files/FreeLearning.pdf)