%0 Journal Article %A Mosharraf, Maedeh %A Taghiyareh, Fattaneh %D 2016 %I Hong Kong Bao Long Accounting & Secretarial Limited %J Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal %K opportunity %K open educational resource %K OER %K educational stakeholder %K educational content %K challenge %K advantage %P 10-21 %T The role of open educational resources in the eLearning movement %U http://www.kmel-journal.org/ojs/index.php/online-publication/article/view/534 %V 8 %X Open Educational Resources (OERs) have gained increased attention for their potential to provide equitable and accessible educational facilities for people worldwide. Obviating demographic, economic, and geographic educational boundaries can be the OERs slogan. Realization of this promise is an inevitable target of eLearning, thus offering education new challenges. In this observation paper, we express OERs altruistic and idealistic reasons as well as their opportunities and advantages for three groups of eLearning stakeholders, namely learners, teachers, and educational institutions. Also, this paper addresses open questions such as what are the current limitations and challenges of developing and distributing OERs in the fast changing global educational environment. %Z (KM&EL) %9 Special Issue on “Models, technologies and approaches toward widening the open access to learning and education” %@ 2073-7904 %* yes %> https://www.oerknowledgecloud.org/archive/534-1398-1-PB.pdf