LibGuides: OER: Open Educational Resources: Learn about OER

Defining OER

What is OER?

Open Educational Resources are teaching, learning and research materials in any medium – digital or otherwise – that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions. [1]

Why use OER?

According to SPARC:

Textbook costs should not be a barrier to education.
Students learn more when they have access to quality materials.
Technology holds boundless potential to improve teaching and learning.
Better education means a better future. [2]

How do I know if a resource is an OER?

The key distinguishing characteristic of OER is its intellectual property license and the freedoms the license grants to others to share and adapt it. If a lesson plan or activity is not clearly tagged or marked as being in the public domain or having an open license, it is not OER.[2]

[1] Definition from the Hewlett Foundation - CC License
[2] Adapted from SPARC Open Education - CC License

Getting Started

Three great resources to get you started with OER:

NC Live's Open Educational Resources 101 Webinar
This video by NC Live is a great place to start learning about OER. Please note the grants are no longer available, but the Open Education collection NC Live set up is still accessible.

Open Educational Resources
Overview written by Nagar, Rashelle and Jill Hallam-Miller for the Spring 2019 edition of "Tips and Trends" from the ACRL Instruction Section (link to ACRL Instruction Section provided in pdf). [Opens in new window]

Open Oregon FAQ
"Questions about Open Educational Resources that faculty frequently ask." (Description from website.)

Library Help

What the Library Can Do:

Help faculty identify existing OER materials, including alternatives to textbooks
Make suggestions on where to search for OER
Give options for ways that students can access resources
Advise on use of Creative Commons licenses

What the Library Cannot Do:

Be completely knowledgeable of your subject area
Make the final call on the quality of a resource
Choose your textbook or course material
Interfere with your academic freedom

Adapted from "OER Toolkit: Curating" by The Learning Portal College Libraries Ontario and is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

More Toolkits, Tutorials, etc.

SUNY OER Community Course Experience
Six mini-courses on the basics of OER.
OER Toolkit (Canada)
Excellent resource from Ontario Libraries.
Open Washington: Learn OER
Detailed modules that explain concepts related to OER. Created for Washington State Community and Technical College (WA CTC) faculty.
OER Mythbusting
"OER Mythbusting addresses the top seven myths about OER in North American higher education, as voted on by more than 100 faculty, librarians, students, and other members of the OER community." (Description from website.)

About this Guide

This LibGuide was created by Angela Davis, Instruction and Web Services Librarian, as part of professional development sessions held for the faculty of Pitt Community College on September 26 & 27, 2018, and adapted by Mary Anne Caudle, Library Director, Martin Community College, in December, 2019.

Unless otherwise noted, OER: Open Educational Resources by Martin Community College Library is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.