Abstract:

Digital learning materials have many advantages that are specific to the needs of students, since these materials can be convenient, engaging, interactive, and can be tailored to meet the students’ needs. In this context, Open Educational Resources (OER) is a powerful concept for sharing the world's resources for the common good, reflecting the international commitment to Education for All (EFA). In the past few years, the development of OER has grown exponentially, however, several are quite “closed” and few have the necessary scientific and pedagogical quality certification as real “educational” resources, particularly in the Mathematics area.

Having a common feeling of need for certification and clarification of the OER concept, a group of Higher Education Institutions is developing an Erasmus + Project, under the Key Action - Cooperation partnerships in higher education. This consortium brings together six Higher Education Institutions (HEI) from five European countries: Austria, Estonia, Portugal, Romania and Spain. The enrolled Institutions in this transnational project will develop a “Smart Library” (SL) of OER. This project entails the creation of an OER assessment model, the development of a multilingual OER bank and its continuous sustainability, the establishment of an OER developer’s community among Math teachers and students from several education levels, and other engaging activities. Its progress and success is largely based on the interaction, input and participation of all stakeholder groups. This paper will provide an overview of the project, with a special focus on its several methodological and development challenges.

Keywords:

OER, Online Learning, Mathematics Learning, Higher Education, Research Projects, Multinational Cooperation, Erasmus+, Technology Enhanced Learning.