Communication strategies for increasing the utilization of open educational resources (OER) using repositories and metaconnectors

This research analyzes existing Open Educational Resources residing in three digital repositories (DAR, CREA and Laboratorio MLearning) and a resources indexation system (TEMOA) used by three Mexican participants in the R and E project CUDI-CONACYT 2011. It seeks to detect the advantages of their use, the areas of opportunity they open up, to evaluate different communication processes intended to encourage their utilization in teaching and to describe successful strategies to increase the impact of their use. An exploratory qualitative and descriptive methodology was employed. Results indicate that strategies to ensure organization, information provision, anticipation and generalization are all used to increase the employment of OER. It is further indicated that audio-visual (in contrast to oral) communication methods facilitate the assimilation of information. This is a consequence of the fact that OER methods make new and complementary information available and facilitate its re-use. The research also identified the importance of integrating clear messaging and providing feedback on the content of OER, in order to encourage effective communication.