Open Educational Resources (OERs) can make higher mathematics education more effective through cost reduction, increased accessibility, and adaptable materials for teachers.

Open Educational Resources are freely accessible teaching and learning materials that can be utilized, customized, and shared without any cost. OERs come in diverse forms, ranging from entire courses to individual educational materials.

The online survey conducted by Eramus+ project Gate2Math partners showed that almost three-quarters of the respondents considered the OERs necessary and were ready to collaborate in various forms, such as creating, testing, reviewing, and translating materials. However, some respondents were reluctant to share their materials for free or did not find the digital library useful for their specific courses.

Findings also showed that tight collaboration is needed to develop OERs as there are different barriers and challenges to overcome like limited willingness to share existing materials with the skepticism of teachers towards open educational materials, lack of time and teachers’ specific approaches to teaching a subject that may not be suitable for others.

The respondents were mathematics teachers from different universities and institutions. The survey aimed to investigate the need for Open Educational Resources (OERs) in mathematics education, the reasons for the absence of OERs, and the willingness to cooperate in its creation and use.

The main research findings and the role of open educational resources in higher mathematics education can be found in the article. The article titled “Challenges and Opportunities for Open Educational Resources in Higher Mathematics Education” was combined by project partners from TTK University of Applied Sciences and Tallinn University.

The article and survey results were first presented at the international ICL2023 conference “Towards a Hybrid, Flexible and Socially Engaged Higher Education” by Gate2Math project members from TTK University of Applied Sciences.

Gate2Math´s primary objective is to establish a comprehensive, multilingual open library dedicated to mathematical resources. A web-based platform is being developed, which will provide educational materials for both educators and students in the form of Open Educational Resources (OERs). These resources will be available in both the national language and English and will encompass various formats such as short videos, animations, puzzles, and worksheets.

Gate2Math is financed by Erasmus+, the EU’s program to support education, training, youth, and sport in Europe, developed in close cooperation with six partner universities across Europe and led by TTK University of Applied Sciences in Estonia.
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