What is OER?
Definition
The term OER (Open Educational Resources) was first defined by UNESCO in 2002 Links to an external site. as “any type of educational materials that are in the public domain or introduced with an open license” and can “range from textbooks to curricula, syllabi, lecture notes, assignments, tests, projects, audio, video, and animation.” Learn about how OER is defined by organizations around the world at Creative Commons' OER Definitions Links to an external site. page.
Although many people think of OER and Open Education as generally referring to online-only material and courses, this is not always the case. Many open textbooks, for example, are also available in hard copy or can be printed if an instructor or student prefers. At College of the Canyons, the majority of OER materials developed by OER specialists are provided in a printed or easily printable version.
The 5 Rs of Openness
As seen in the table above, OER differs from traditional educational resources in their licensing and permissions. Namely, the “open” aspect of OER can be defined by David Wiley’ Links to an external site.s 5R Framework.
- Retain
the right to make, own, and control copies of the content - Reuse
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) - Revise
the right to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself (e.g., translate the content into another language) - Remix
the right to combine the original or revised content with other open content to create something new (e.g., incorporate the content into a mashup) - Redistribute
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)
OER Mythbusting
Visit the OER Mythbusting Links to an external site. site created by the Open Policy Education Network Links to an external site. to familiarize yourself with, and correct misconceptions surrounding OER.
Sources and More Reading
- The 5 R's of Openness Links to an external site. by David Wiley is licensed under CC BY 4.0 Links to an external site.
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