Significance of OERs for undisrupted learning amid COVID – 19: Indian Scenario – Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Most of the countries across the globe witnessed the largest disruption in educational systems during this COVID-19 pandemic which affected nearly1.6 billion learners worldwide. This disruption in education have considerably widened the pre – existing educational disparities and has erased decades of progress. This phenomenon can lead to a generational catastrophe in the educational field.

Due to the closure of all educational institutions during Covid – 19 lockdown, the govt and the educational institutes came up with some pre-established distance learning modalities. These modalities were often a combination of educational programmes on radio and television channels and the use of printed texts and materials. To ensure undisrupted learning, a gradual metamorphosis of the existing educational system is needed. In this context usage of Open Educational Resources ( OER) are gaining momentum. The OER platform aims to make the quality content available for free use by anyone so as to enhance the learning opportunities for the unreached sections of the society. This paper studies the emergence, analyses the practical applications and the challenges associated with the development and in the integration of OERs with online educations in a developing country like India. Finally this paper also recommends some practises to be adopted so as to facilitate collaborative learning and encourage personalised learning experiences through OERs.