Open Educational Resources for Pharmacy Education

A keynote speech if offered in the 2nd PUA International Conference “Multidisciplinary Approaches in Pharmaceutical Sciences”https://www.pua.edu.eg/icmaps/keynote-speakers/ under the title:

Open Educational Resources for Pharmacy Education
by: Ghada El Khayat, Ph.D.
Head, Information Systems and Computers Department
Head, Pedagogical Innovation and Distance Learning Unit

Abstract: Open educational resources (OER) are freely accessible media and digital assets useful for teaching, learning, and assessing. They are publicly accessible resources that can be used, re-mixed, improved and redistributed under some specific licenses. OER provide an enhanced educational paradigm. Instead of focusing on content development, educators more and more can focus on learning strategies, scenarios and educational methodologies. This enables exploitation of currently available resources and gives room to creativity and innovation in education. This talk presents the history of OER, its definition(s), advantages and disadvantages together with its policies. OER also have licensing requirements that will be discussed in the presentation. In order to get the most of OER institutional support is indispensible. Several institutions have adopted OER and others are promoting its use. Different practices and initiatives will be visited in this talk.

The nature of open educational resources is very collaborative which promotes a culture of sharing and creativity in education. OER exist in many disciplines including pharmacy. Faculty considering the adoption of open educational resources for use in their classes can find lots of content online. The talk will also direct the audience (pharmacy professors) to a list of resources that is by no means exhaustive, but that is intended to stimulate them to reconsider the way they are delivering some of their courses. Keywords: OER, Pedagogical Innovation, Pharmacy Education