Open Educational Resources (OER) are becoming commonplace at colleges and universities around the world. There is no denying that free textbooks can make a difference for students struggling with the cost of going to school. One of the more impressive OER projects is OpenStax, affiliated with Rice University.

But what is the overall quality of free material? At least one commentator finds OER to be inferior to tools available online but not free. Please have a look at this article by Robert S. Feldman, in Inside Higher Ed. The writer is deputy chancellor and professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Dr. Feldman believes, ironically, that OER material, which can seem in the vanguard of exciting change, tends to consist of old-fashioned texts in digital form. He describes a package he uses in his introductory psychology classes containing many features that can’t be found in OER products. Here is a key passage:

It might seem counterintuitive, but the reality is that these “new” open resources are generally among the least innovative solutions available today, and they ultimately do little more than further entrench an ineffective status quo.

Now, compare that with today’s latest paid digital learning tools that are based on technological advances and discoveries from learning scientists that have emerged in the last decade. Such tools are not textbooks in the traditional sense — they’re dynamic, adaptive learning systems, and they facilitate highly impactful learning experiences in a way that no traditional textbook could. They deliver deeply personalized lessons for students, giving continuous feedback and support, all while providing educators with insights that allow us to reach our students more effectively.

I for one can tell you that the availability of these solutions offers a better educational experience for students. In my introductory psychology courses, for example, rather than assigning a traditional (linear) textbook, I can now assign an adaptive online version that customizes the way it presents content for each student, based on that student’s individual needs. The tool continually poses questions to assess each student’s mastery of material, and then provides a unique path through the material, not only targeting each student’s strengths and weaknesses but ensuring that students review and reinforce what they’ve learned at optimal intervals. At the same time, it can help to identify particular elements of the material that students might be having trouble with, allowing the opportunity to fine-tune lectures in a way that no traditional textbook ever could.

One of the most promising developments in recent years is instructional material that can be customized for each class and even for each student. Much of this material is not presently free, but is far less expensive than paper textbooks. One can imagine a prospective scenario in which professors design instructional software that they are willing to share at no cost to anyone.

OER materials are here to stay, but instructors should be able to decide on the best material regarding particular courses.