New with the advent of technology is the so called digital divide. We can quickly recognize the opportunity for both lower cost and higher quality resources. However, a closer look quickly reveals that to take advantage of these opportunities, such as replacing printed commercial textbooks with open digital content, required widespread digital devices, connectivity and expertise. These things are not equally distributed. So, perversely, free resources can actually increase the digital divide.
Technology is such an important aspect of modern education that addressing the digital divide is a priority for local, state and federal governments.
The BYOD trend is another two edged sword. Students using their own devices to access and work with open educational resources is a powerful concept. It moves learning beyond specific devices and content provided by the school into a more real world context. This breaks the association of learning is something that happens in the classroom and transform it into a lifelong process that happens everywhere. However, it brings the unequal access to technology into sharp focus.
Even when students can keep OER, with their own notes and additions, after the course is over, it is of limited use if they don't have their own device.
This is another example of how the educational, and the OER, ecosystem is complex and layered. But that just means that there are many avenues to contribute.