Every mode or format of instruction – including online learning – presents certain challenges as well. For instance, students – and faculty – are required to have regular access to a device and decent wi-fi. We learned during the pandemic that the digital divide is real for many of our students – but we also learned that the digital divide is also very real for many of our faculty (especially our part-time faculty). The ability to work independently (maturity and organizational skills) is another challenge that impairs overall student performance and success in an online class. The open educational resources (OER) movement has provided a wonderful solution for these challenges. OER materials have been around for a long time but historically have had to deal with substantial resistance from faculty. As the 2022 ITC National Survey results indicate, major roadblocks to OER adoption continue to concern faculty:
