Open Education (OE) Guide: Introduction to OERs

Be sure to check with your Academic Department Liaison for more information about finding open resources in your subject area!

Definition

The term can include textbooks, course readings, and other learning content; simulations, games, and other learning applications; syllabi, quizzes, and assessment tools; and virtually any other material that can be used for educational purposes"

(source: EDUCAUSE. May 27, 2010. 7 Things You Should Know About Open Educational Resources)

Open Educational Resources (OER) Supports Equity and Flexibility

Teachers’ awareness of open educational resources hits 5-year high

A third of teachers report being aware of open educational resources, the highest level measured since 2018-19 by Bay View Analytics, a statistical research firm.

The level of teachers reporting they are somewhat-to-very aware reached 32% in 2023-24, up from 28% the year prior.

The report suggested that transitioning to open educational resources had the potential to reduce costs, personalize instruction and build a capacity within districts to support open educational practices

Read the recommendations to consider when overcoming obstacles to implement open educational resources.

This image is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

This video is surely a fun video about why open education is important: 

• Open with intention: situating equity pedagogy within open education to advance social justice from Emerald Insight
• 2021 Course Redesign to OER Sprint Report from OpenOregon 
• Search Millions of Research Papers: Internet Archive Scholar.
• Questions Faculty May Have About OERs
• Teaching: What Exactly Is a ‘Free’ Textbook, and Other Questions About Open Resources
• Big Flickr Announcement: All CC-licensed images will be protected
• Affordable College Textbook Act Reintroduced in Congress
• Lehman College The OER Starter Kit Workbook!
• Inside Higher ED News: Open-Access Publishing and the Coronavirus
• Just how inclusive are inclusive access e-textbook programs? by Rajiv Jhangiani, Ph.D.
• A Recipe for a Successful Institutional Open Education Initiative  by Rajiv Jhangiani, Ph.D.
• It’s Time for Open Educational Resources By Ray Schroeder  |  April 21, 2021
• UNC student organization works to address textbook affordability | September 7, 2021 
• Awareness and Use of Open Educational Resources Hits All-Time High Among Higher Education Faculty from Bay View Analytics