Content area
Gathering data on the use and impact of open resources such as OpenCourseWare has inherent challenges. Because audiences are broad and come to the sites freely, often with no registration or prior identification, most data gathered comes from web metrics (which reveal behavior but not attitudes or intent) or from surveys and interviews of a self-selecting group of users assumed to be among the most engaged and supportive visitors to the sites. Because an aspect of OCW's influence appears to be communication of the culture of the publishing school, it's arguable that even if OCW influences potential students to not attend a given school, such an outcome may be in the best interests of both the student and the school by contributing to a better match between the two.