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OER Basics

Everything you need to know when getting started working with OER, from what OER is to how to use it, copyright protections and general information.

Resource Page

This page is dedicated to providing short lists of resources that will be helpful to anyone wanting to find OER materials. As of 2024 there is no one single source to find OER materials and not every resources shows up in every database. For example if I was searching MERLOT and OASIS for the same subject I would end up with different results. This is where subject libguides are often a great resources because they compile the best resources on one page.  In the coming months a new OER subject guide will be created with an extensive list of resources. In the meantime here are helpful links for anyone starting, updating or just interested in what OER is currently out there.

OER Textbooks Sites

These sites are focused only on OER textbooks.

OpenStax A OER site focused on textbooks and run through Rice University. OpenStax offers specifically OER textbooks that are open licensed and made as base texts meaning they are meant to be edited and tailors to meet the needs of individual instructors.

Open Textbook Library Run through the University of Minnesota this site offers a wealth of OER textbooks with various open licenses and subjects.

BC Campus Open Publishing A site from British Columbia Campus with various resources for finding existing or creating your own OER

General OER Sites

These sites offer a vast amount of resources not only textbooks

MERLOT Run through CSU Long Beach this is a OER database that covers many different subjects and materials including existing OER courses.

Cool4Ed Another great site with a wealth of resources.

OASIS Run by the University of Illinois this an OER search database

OER Commons A massive site with plenty of materials from K-university level

MIT Opencourseware (OCW) is a web-based publication of virtually all MIT course content.

OER Subject Libguides

Cal Poly Humboldt

Iowa State University

 

image from: https://studyinpng.com/2024/08/open-educational-resources-oer-free-textbooks/ 

 

Questions to consider

  1.  Does this OER content meet the needs of your learning objectives and what you will cover in your course? 
  2. How accessible is the content? Is it the right level for your students? Is it easy to find the necessary information? 
  3. How can you use the content? I.E. what Creative Commons License does it have? Every OER has a different license. Some will allow you to make all the changes you wish while others are only free to use. Please see the Creative Commons tab for a breakdown of the various licenses and what they mean. 
  4. What will you do with the OER for your class? Will you adapt and use a small part, or all of it? You can combine OER materials if the licenses will work together. Does the library already have access to resources that will be helpful? Sometimes its easy to forget how many resources the library has access to and its always worth a short to see if there is free access already available. 
  5. Remember to save all the OER you find in one spot and organize based on the course you are building. The more organized you are the better you can continually evaluate the sources you have and the future ones you find.