16. Ministers stressed that ICT was vital to increasing access at all levels, hence improving the efficiency of the education system, but that technology should be driven by educational needs. They noted that while there was a plethora of initiatives for the development of Open Education Resources (OER), such as scientific publications, eBooks and journals, there was a need to set up a common platform for OER materials for harmonisation and ease of access. They further highlighted the need for a common framework for all open universities of the Commonwealth, especially those in small states. Quality assurance mechanisms should be strengthened to make them more relevant to the needs of stakeholders.
Jenni Parker on 06 Oct 12Rob there is some good info in here about costs of books and journal fees that might be useful for the arguments about OER saving Murdoch money for the white paper.