What are Open Educational Resources and Why They're Needed
What are Open Educational Resources?
Open Educational Resources (OER) are educational materials that are openly licensed and freely available to use, share, and adapt. These materials can include textbooks, videos, assessments, and other resources that are designed for use in teaching and learning. OER can be created by anyone and can be shared and adapted by others, allowing educators and learners to access and use high-quality, affordable, and customizable learning materials. The use of OER can help to increase access to education, reduce costs for students, and promote more collaborative and innovative teaching and learning practices.
Open Scholarship Librarian
Director of Open Scholarship & Affordable Learning
Source: OER Postcard (Top 10 Myths) by Jenni Hayman, Olga Perkovic, and Nada Savicevic (eCampus Ontario)
Why Use OERs?
For faculty:
- OER supports innovation, exposure and reputation
- OER improves learner understanding and drives engagement with open content
- OER can increase student accessibility
For students:
- Using OER results in direct cost savings to students and/or institutions
- Using OER brings in different perspectives and provides more variety for students
Licensed CC-BY; created by Alberta OER Initiative.