How do I know if something is an Open Educational Resource?
OER materials are usually identified by whether or not the 5 Rs apply.
Retain: Continued access to the content
Revise: Change and update the content to meet your needs
Remix: Combine the content with other resources and create something new
Reuse: Publicly use the content, whether original, revised, or remixed
Redistribute: Freely share the content in its original or revised form
Many OER materials are licensed under a Creative Commons License. Creative Commons is an easy way to grant copyright permissions for others to use your creative work. You can learn more about Creative Commons on the Licensing tab of this guide.
This material is an adaptation of Defining the "Open" in Open Content and Open Educational Resources, which was originally written by David Wiley and published freely under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license at http://opencontent.org/definition/.
Can I adapt an open textbook for my course?
Depending on the type of license used, you may be able to adapt an open textbook.
- Modifying an Open Textbook: What You Need to KnowModifying an Open Textbook: What You Need to Know focuses on the technological aspects of editing open textbooks found in the Open Textbook Library or elsewhere, and will help you assess the effort, expertise, and technical tools needed. In addition, this guide includes step-by-step instructions for importing and editing common open textbook file and platform types. Finally, this guide provides a basic overview of accessibility considerations and general guidance on where to find additional help.
Starting Points
- Mason OER MetafinderSimultaneously search multiple OER repositories, including Merlot, OER Commons, and the Open Textbook Library.
- OhioLINK OERResources created by a team of faculty content collaborators, a librarian, and a faculty review team, under the umbrella of the Ohio Open Ed Collaborative.
- Open Textbook LibraryThis library is run by the Open Textbook Network which assists higher education institutions and systems advance the use of open textbooks. All textbooks included in this library are peer-reviewed, free and openly licensed.
Your liaison librarian is available to help you search for existing materials!
Evaluation
- Faculty Guide for Evaluation Open Education ResourcesChecklist for evaluating OER from BC Open Campus
- Evaluating OER - an iRubricAssessment rubric. Editing and printing requires a subscription, but a good model.
When looking for an OER, remember to keep in mind accessibility while you are evaluating the content. These resources can help you approach evaluation more strategically.