“WHY OER?” PRESENTATION*

Deliver a “Why OER?” presentation to help key stakeholders understand what OER is and why it makes a difference for students, teaching, and learning.

Note: Asterisk denotes this is a proven, high-impact play.

The “Why OER?” presentation is an essential tool for any OER champion. It’s your basic pitch for to help any administrator or faculty member understand what open educational resources are and the benefits of OER for students, faculty, and the institution.

1. Identify what makes your stakeholders tick. Will they perk up when they hear about textbook cost savings? Improved passing rates? Increased retention? More control over course content? As you develop your presentation, look for ways to reinforce the benefits and themes they care most about.
2. Gather stories. Gather real-people, real-impact stories about how OER is making a difference. Ideally these are
3. Hone your slide deck. Curate and refine slides to fill a ~30 minute presentation block (plus Q&A). Thanks to CC-BY, many champions have benefitted from using and adapting David Wiley’s slides about the power and impact of OER for their purposes.
4. Incorporate helpful media and pertinent evidence. Identify media, research results, outcome data, and other material to help strengthen your case. Choose resources you know will resonate with your audience. See the Helpful Resources below for ideas and a starting point. 
5. Crib from the masters. Watch presentations and recordings of other open education advocates making the case for OER. Pay attention to their examples, stories, and approach. Take notes about how to strengthen your own delivery.
6. Practice, practice, practice. Find opportunities to give your presentation and solicit feedback.

Refine your elevator pitch. In addition to your 30-minute presentation, develop a ~5 minute elevator pitch to convey the most compelling case for OER at your campus.

Attributions:

Neon “Open” Sign photo by Alex Holyoake on Unsplash