When you’re in university or college, drowning in weekly readings, it might seem unthinkable to miss academic literature. Then one day, there you are, a working professional, and you need information to reliable, evidence-based information to to inform a design decision, to back up a business case, or perhaps to write an article for the Knowledge Hub!
How do you find it? What if you’re working with limited resources? Enter free and open access resources. Open access research, in general, is scholarly research that is “digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions” with proper attribution (Canadian Association of Research Libraries). Open access resources include peer-reviewed journals, research reports, and even textbooks. Additionally, many researchers and practitioners provide free information in a range of other formats.
Here are some ideas to get you started, with sample resources. For the samples, we’ll focus on the topic of training evaluation.
GOOGLE SCHOLAR
A good place to start is Google Scholar. All the power of Google, with a focus on scholarly literature. Not all results are open access, but many are; you can also find abstracts and useful leads for tracking down resources elsewhere. Preprints and author copies published on sites like ResearchGate can be found through Google Scholar (ResearchGate is also worth searching in its own right).Sample resource:
Armstrong, M. B., & Landers, R. N. (2017). An evaluation of gamified training: Using narrative to improve reactions and learning. Simulation & Gaming, 48(4), 513-538. Available on author’s Research Gate page.ERIC (EDUCATION RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER)
ERIC is a database of education research and information with many full-text resources. It leans towards formal education, including K-12, but has plenty of research that’s applicable to L&D.Sample resource:
Alabay, S., & Bastürk, M. (2021). Development, implementation and evaluation of e-learning materials for FFL with Adobe Captivate Software. International Education Studies, 14(6), 59-70. Available as an ERIC full-text file.
OPEN ACCESS JOURNALS
Some journals are partly or entirely open access. The Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology is one example. You can find journals in directores like the Canadian Research Knowledge Network’s Open Access List or the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).Sample resource:
Carter, L., Hanna, M., & Warry, W. (2016). Perceptions of the impact of online learning as a distance-based learning model on the professional practices of working nurses in Northern Ontario| Perceptions de l’impact de l’apprentissage en ligne comme modèle d’apprentissage à distance sur les pratiques professionnelles du personnel infirmier du nord de l’Ontario. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology/La revue canadienne de l’apprentissage et de la technologie, 42(3). Full-text download.
L&D INDUSTRY PUBLICATIONS
Many industry publications include summaries of research evidence. Always be conscious that you’re reading an interpretation of primary evidence, but a short article can be a great way to get the gist of research findings.Sample resource:
Hotel, P. (2019). Beyond Kirkpatrick: 3 approaches to evaluating elearning. Learning Solutions Magazine. Available in Learning Solutions Magazine Online.
UNPAYWALL
Many articles published in conventional academic journals are also legally cross-posted on author or university websites. Unpaywall is a free Chrome extension that helps identify these legal, open versions. Not all articles have a free, legal version, and Unpaywall tends to err on the side of caution when it comes to copyright, which may lead to some valid results being missed. However, as an extension, it can be a useful extra layer on top of your other search strategies. Available from the Chrome store.Tags: assessment evaluation
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