What are OER?
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Teaching, learning, and research materials
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Public domain or openly licensed and modifiable
OER are broadly defined — textbooks, course materials, modules, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge, in any medium
OER are free to use and modify — released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions
What are the benefits?
- Expanded access to learning ⇒ accessible from anywhere, at any time, as often as needed
- Scalability ⇒ easy to distribute widely with little or no cost
- Augmentation of class materials ⇒ supplement textbooks and lectures where deficiencies in information are evident
- Enhancement of regular course content ⇒ presenting information in multiple formats to help students to more easily learn
- Quick circulation ⇒ disseminate info more rapidly than textbooks; increase timeliness and relevance of your material
- Less expense for students ⇒ substantially reduce the cost of course content
- Showcasing of innovation and talent ⇒ wider audience for faculty research expertise
- Ties for alumni ⇒ keep community connected and provide materials for lifelong learning
- Continually improved resources ⇒ reader edits and user feedback, adaptable for class