Open Educational Resources: an Italian Case Study

Abstract

In 2002, UNESCO coined the expression Open Educational Resources, defining OER as "technologyenabled, open provision of educational resources for consultation, use and adaptation by a community of users for non-commercial purposes" ([1], p. 23). Over the years, OERs have come to be intended as “any digital resource which can be freely accessed and used for educational purposes”, a broader definition including not only digital learning objects but also software tools, textbooks, simulations or animations, records of experiences, and, generically speaking, any alternative to traditional and commercial learning materials to be used for formal and non-formal education. This wider concept, broad enough to encompass most recent university initiatives fostered by the internationalization process, seems “promising, potentially leading to educational collaborations, reducing cost for education, allowing access to education” ([2], p. 2). However, OERs are not entirely cost-free, especially as regards the translation and adaptation efforts necessary to make the educational material available in another language. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the development and availability of OERs in Italy and report on the author’s experience as translator and language editor of selected teaching material destined for the University of Tuscia’s Open Courseware and online open sources.