PRESENTATION

Presentation Description:

Open Educational Resources (OER) are “learning, teaching and research materials in any format and medium that reside in the public domain or are under copyright that have been released under an open license, that “permit no-cost access, re-use, re-purpose, adaptation and redistribution” (UNESCO, 2019). Measuring the impact of OER is complex, which creates challenges for academic libraries to sustain OER publishing services. To address such challenges and address gaps in the research literature, Deakin Library is exploring using podcasting as a research method to investigate OER and OER-enabled practices. Podcasting as a research methodology is an emerging and innovative storytelling-based approach to qualitative research (Kinkaid et al., 2021; Meriçliler, 2024; Jati, 2022), flipping the traditional closed-room interview into an openly shareable artefact that amplifies participants’ stories and still generates rich qualitative data for analysis.

This project emerged in response to methodological and geographic gaps in the existing OER impact literature, which largely comes from quantitative studies conducted in North America. These studies indicate that students perceive significant benefits of OER, including cost savings, immediate access, convenience, portability, and permanent retention (Jhangiani & Jhangiani, 2017), and that OER reduce educational cost and increase inclusiveness (Bozkurt et al., 2023). Other studies correlate OER to improved access to learning resources, increased student and faculty satisfaction, greater engagement, and equal or better learning outcomes (Hilton, 2016; Hilton et al., 2016; Rowell, 2015; Cooney, 2017). However, other research finds negligible impact on learning achievement (Clinton & Khan, 2019; Tlili et al., 2025). As Clinton (2019) notes, “without control of the influences of demographics, prior academic achievement, and instructor, it is difficult to discern what the specific role of OER was on grades.” These varying results highlight the limits of numbers alone and the need for qualitative approaches that capture the real stories behind teaching and learning. Moreover, most OER impact studies originate in North America, with limited exploration of creation and use in the Australian context (Ponte et al., 2021). A few recent studies (Pakay & Chang, 2024; Stagg et al., 2023) have addressed this gap, but Australian evidence remains limited. Anecdotal evidence from Deakin University’s own OER publishing program suggests positive outcomes, but formal evidence is needed to inform institutional decision-making.

The session will outline the theoretical and practical challenges of measuring OER impact, introduce the rationale for podcasting as a methodology, and share preliminary observations from fieldwork with Deakin OER authors. Themes emerging from the data and practical lessons on combining podcast production with research will be presented, alongside critical reflections on the potential of narrative-driven, qualitative research to surface impact that traditional measures might overlook. The session will close with a forum for peer learning, inviting questions and reflections from the audience, who will have the opportunity to share their own examples of successes in evidencing OER impact and contribute ideas for innovative approaches in their institutions. Participants will leave with practical insights into using podcasting as a research method and new ideas from peers for demonstrating OER impact.