Editing Open educational resources (section)

== Costs ==
One of the most frequently cited benefits of OER is their potential to reduce costs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://journals.uic.edu/ojs/|title=Journals@UIC|website=journals.uic.edu|accessdate=July 2, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/OER_Case_Studies/United_States|title=OER Case Studies/United States - Creative Commons|website=wiki.creativecommons.org|accessdate=July 2, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1153|title=A preliminary examination of the cost savings and learning impacts of using open textbooks in middle and high school science classes|first1=David|last1=Wiley|first2=John Levi Hilton|last2=Iii|first3=Shelley|last3=Ellington|first4=Tiffany|last4=Hall|date=June 1, 2012|journal=The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning|volume=13|issue=3|pages=262–276|accessdate=July 2, 2023|via=www.irrodl.org|doi=10.19173/irrodl.v13i3.1153 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openstax.org/|title=OpenStax &#124; Free Textbooks Online with No Catch|website=openstax.org|accessdate=July 2, 2023}}</ref><ref>Wiley, D. A., Hilton III, J. L., Ellington, S., & Hall, T. (2012). A preliminary examination of the cost savings and learning impacts of using open textbooks in middle and high school science classes. ''International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning (IRRODL)''</ref><ref name=":6" /> A 2023 study co-authored by the Public Interest Research Group and Michelson 20MM Foundation found that 65% of student respondents skipped out on textbooks or course materials because they were too expensive.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gallegos |first=Emma |title=Panel discusses how to reduce the dizzying cost of textbooks for California college students |url=https://edsource.org/2023/panel-discusses-how-to-reduce-the-dizzying-cost-of-textbooks-for-california-college-students/699481 |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=EdSource |language=en}}</ref> While OER seem well placed to bring down total expenditures, they are not cost-free. New OER can be assembled or simply reused or repurposed from existing open resources. This is a primary strength of OER and, as such, can produce major cost savings. OER need not be created from scratch. On the other hand, there are some costs in the assembly and adaptation process. And some OER must be created and produced originally at some time. While OER must be hosted and disseminated, and some require funding, OER development can take different routes, such as creation, adoption, adaptation and curation.<ref name=":0" />

Each of these models provides different cost structure and degree of cost-efficiency. Upfront costs in developing the OER infrastructure can be expensive, such as building the OER infrastructure. Butcher and Hoosen<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.col.org/resources/publications/Pages/detail.aspx?PID=421|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141001061417/http://www.col.org/resources/publications/Pages/detail.aspx?PID=421|url-status=dead|title=Butcher, N., & Hoosen, S. (2012). ''Exploring the business case for Open Educational Resources''. Vancouver: Commonwealth of Learning.|archivedate=October 1, 2014|accessdate=July 2, 2023}}</ref> noted that "a key argument put forward by those who have written about the potential benefits of OER relates to its potential for saving cost or, at least, creating significant economic efficiencies. However, to date there has been limited presentation of concrete data to back up this assertion, which reduces the effectiveness of such arguments and opens the OER movement to justified academic criticism."<ref name=":0" />