OER - Open Educational Resources
Faculty Interest Form
If you're considering converting your courses to OER, please complete this interest form, and your liaison librarian will reach out to help you get started.
Use the form to describe your context for using OER so the LLC liaison librarians and staff can better support you. Please give more details about your project, discipline, or intended audience.
For example: Are you thinking about creating, adapting, or using OER for a specific course? What subjects are you focused on? Do you have any specific goals, challenges, or support needs?
Stipend form
Once you have met with your liaison librarian and an instructional designer you may fill out this form.
If you have any questions about the form or any part of the process, feel free to reach to me at Teresa.Maceira@bristolcc.edu
I'm here to help - just get in touch.
Librarian
This guide is adapted from the excellent resources at University of Pittsburgh, Portland Community College,Virginia Tech, Worcester Polytech Institute, and UMass Amherst Libraries.
Unless otherwise specified, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
"Education is sharing". David Wiley, Lumen Learning
Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials in any format—digital or otherwise—that are either in the public domain or have been released under an open license. These resources permit free access, use, adaptation, and redistribution by others with minimal or no restrictions. (Source: Open Educational Resources | UNESCO)
Examples of OER include learning content (such as lesson plans, assignments, textbooks, exams, and videos) as well as tools for learning (like software for creating videos and websites, course management systems, word processing programs, and training materials).
About OER
Open Educational Resources (OER) offer significant advantages for both instructors and students. Instructors save time by using high-quality, ready-made materials—such as textbooks, lesson plans, assignments, and activities—created and shared by educators worldwide. This allows them to focus more on personalized teaching and direct student support. OER are also reusable and adaptable enabling educators to tailor content to their specific course needs.
For students, OER dramatically reduces costs by eliminating the need to purchase expensive textbooks. High textbook prices present a significant obstacle for many students, with recent statistics indicating that 65% have opted not to purchase a required textbook due to cost, and 25% have reported working additional hours to cover the expense of books and course materials. OER resources are freely available online, improving access and allowing students to keep materials for future use. Unlike traditional copyrighted textbooks, OER can be reused and repurposed beyond the classroom. Their open nature fosters global collaboration, ensuring that knowledge is more affordable, adaptable, and accessible to everyone.
Understanding OER
A visual explanation on the basics of Open Educational Resources (OER), based on David Wiley’s 5Rs. Includes an overview on different types of OER and how OER ties in with Creative Commons licensing, as well as an introduction to the key steps on finding and using OER.