This paper treats open educational resources (OER), specifically in the context of processes related to education policy. Of importance in this regard are the different understandings, positions, perspectives and focal points of the participant actors from the fields of educational research, practical education and education policy. Those involved approach the politically virulent subject of OER from their respective technical or career-specific perspectives and have one (more or less weighty) aspect of the OER movement in mind, which is intended to gain admission to the education strategies being constructed. The paper examines the various positions and retraces the final version on which all could agree and in which form OER is finally anchored in education planning. In particular, two case studies are examined: first, the formulation of Germany’s strategy of education policy, “Bildung in der digitalen Welt” [“Education in a Digital World”], which was developed last year by the Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK) [a standing conference of education ministers of the federal states] with the participation of professional associations; second, a curriculum formulated by the Österreichisches Bundesministerium für Bildung (BMB) [Austrian Federal Ministry of Education] comprising a binding exercise, “Basic Digital Education”, in schools. After identifying the blind spots in the conceptual anchoring of the idea of OER, the paper considers why attractive aspects, especially for specific actors, remain underexposed and disregarded.

Kultusministerkonferenz Deutschland (KMK) (2017): Strategie “Bildung in der digitalen Welt” https://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/Dateien/pdf/PresseUndAktuelles/2016/Bildung_digitale_Welt_Webversion.pdf Österreichisches Bundesministerium für Bildung (BMB) (2017): Curriculum “Digitale Grundbildung” (pending) Missomelius, Petra et al. (eds.) (2014): Medien – Wissen – Bildung: Freie Bildungsmedien und Digitale Archive. Innsbruck: iup. Missomelius, Petra & Hug, Theo (2016): Opening up Education: Opportunities, Obstacles and Future Perspectives. In: Deimann, Michael & Peters, Michael A. (eds.): The Philosophy and Theory of Open Education: Peer Learning and the Intellectual Commons. New York: Peter Lang, pp. 31-50.