%0 Web Page %A McGreal, Rory %C Lebanon, Europe %D 2018 %I Contact North/Contact Nord %K professional development %K open textbooks %K OER implementation %K OER awareness %K course creation %K case study %N 2018-01-23 %T Open educational resources at Notre Dame University, Louaize, Lebanon %U https://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/open-educational-resources-notre-dame-university-louaize-lebanon %V 2018, Tools and Trends %X Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) in Lebanon is a Catholic private, non-profit institution of higher education organized according to the American system of higher education. The main driver for the adaptation of OER at Notre Dame University-Louaize is to take advantage of the open resources freely available online from the United States. A key rationale for piloting OER within the context of Lebanese higher education is the need to deepen student engagement and instill the value of self-directed learning as a strategy transferable to other learning situations. Other opportunities include: Reducing barriers to learning from ever-increasing textbook costs; Access to quality learning material in an Arab setting, in addition to textbooks; Substituting for the static nature of traditional textbooks by more interactive OER lessons or textbooks; and, overall, Creation of a dynamic, shifting classroom and information with which students can interact by nature of its digital format. Based on these goals and the exchange with colleagues, a strategic direction was established at NDU for the implementation of OER, as well as promoting a culture of openness. By increasing awareness about the use of OER among faculty, staff and students, and by strategizing the development of OER policies and practices, a new direction was determined. This article discusses the benefits, challenges and potential of implementing OER at this institution. More articles can be found at Contact North/Contact Nord: https://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/open-education-resources-oer-applications-around-world/taxonomy-term %8 01/2018 %* does not apply %[ 2018-01-23