Creative Commons and Open Education Resources for Course Development: OERs -- What Are They and How Do They Work?

As defined by UNESCO, "Open Educational Resources (OER) are learning, teaching and research materials in any format and medium that reside in the public domain or are under copyright that have been released under an open license, that permit no-cost access, re-use, re-purpose, adaptation and redistribution by others."

OER is often described in terms of the "5Rs":

• Reuse - Content can be reused in its unaltered original format - the right to use the content in a wide range of ways (e.g., in a class, in a study group, on a website, in a video)
• Retain - Copies of content can be retained for personal archives or reference - the right to make, own, and control copies of the content (e.g., download, duplicate, store, and manage)
• Revise - Content can be modified or altered to suit specific needs - the right to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself (e.g., translate the content into another language)
• Remix - Content can be adapted with other similar content to create something new- the right to combine the original or revised content with other material to create something new (e.g., incorporate the content into a mashup)
• Redistribute - Content can be shared with anyone else in its original or altered format - the right to share copies of the original content, your revisions, or your remixes with others (e.g., give a copy of the content to a friend)

Examples of OER include syllabi, worksheets, open textbooks, lesson plans, textbooks, etc. 

(This material is based on original writing by David Wiley, which was published freely under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license)

Why OERs?

• The steep and continual increase in the cost of textbooks is a problem for many students. OER helps, because the material is free online, affordable in print, and can be saved forever. Dollars that would otherwise go to purchasing textbooks can be redirected toward technology, improving instruction, or reducing debt.
• Studies show that 93% of students who use OER do as well or better than those using traditional materials, since they have easy access to the content starting day one of the course.
• OERs are immediately available, can easily be updated to reflect the growth of knowledge and shifts in teaching, and are infinitely adaptable to meet new and unforeseen student needs.

[Adapted from SPARC.org]

(“Why OER” video by The Council of Chief State School Officers. Video: CC BY 4.0 Music: The Zeppelin by Blue Dot Sessions: CC BY NC 4.0.)

The best way to get started with OERs is to find one which meets your purposes or is close enough to be easily adapted.  There are a number of OER repositories on the Internet, including:

• OASIS
• Merlot
• OER Commons
• (Our colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh libraries maintain an extensive list of other OER repositories)

Speaking of libraries, asking your college librarians or those at the CCC System is another great idea: academic libraries have been at the forefront of the OER movement since the beginning, and most have at least one staff member with expertise in the subject.

Having said this, the success of OER depends on the voluntary contributions of scholars, librarians, subject experts, teaching faculty, and course developers who are willing to share their skills and knowledge with the larger community to support and strengthen student education.  That includes you! On the next tab, we'll look at how one goes about creating and sharing OER content.