Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/859531
ducators are known for their outsize capacity to give and share, and when it comes to lesson plans and curricula, teachers have generously shared with colleagues for centuries. Sharing in the digital age means that myriad educa- tors are now involved, and virtual marketplaces for Open Educational Resources (OER) — freely accessible, openly licensed text, media and other digital assets for class- room use — are springing up. e promise of OER has been touted for some time. It taps into the collaborative brainpower, innovation and creativity of educators around the country and around the world. It ensures that teachers and students always have the most up-to-date and relevant content for little or no cost — which is particularly attractive to cash- strapped school districts. And OER can be customized and adapted to individual student populations and aligned to state standards. O ER can b e found at various educational sit e s, including TeachersPayTeachers.com, where educators post their work for colleagues to use (often for a fee). In recent years, high-tech firms such as Amazon and dig- ital education companies have joined the fray. e U.S. Department of Education's #GoOpen campaign supports states, school districts and educators in using OER to transform teaching and learning. Challenges in finding quality material But while OER may be a boon to education, for many educators, finding free, quality onlin e curriculum requires tenacity, collaboration, increased staff devel- opment, and possibly new language in their collective bargaining agreements. And that doesn't even include wading through the thousands of choices of online learning and research materials out there. Many say it's the Wild West when it comes to selecting and vetting material. Digital Lesson‑Sharing The perils, pitfalls and rewards of Open Educational Resources By Dina Martin E Ansonlobo/Wikimedia 20 cta.org Back to School T H E P R O F E S S I O N