OER tutorial: A self-paced guide for faculty

By the end of this module you should be able to:

1. Define Open Educational Resources (OER)
2. Describe the 5R permissions
3. Identify examples of OER types
4. Recognize the role licensing plays in OER
5. Outline the history of OER

What are OER?

The nonprofit organization Creative Commons defines Open Educational Resources (OER) as:

"teaching, learning, and research materials that are either (a) in the public domain or (b) licensed in a manner that provides everyone with free and perpetual permission to engage in the 5R activities."

The key distinguishing factor of OER is the copyright status of the material. If course content is under a traditional, all-rights-reserved copyright, then it's not an OER -- even if it is posted somewhere online for free. If it resides in the public domain or has been licensed for adaptation and distribution, then it is an OER. 

OER can take any format that traditional educational materials can take, such as: open textbooks, open courses or learning modules, videos, simulations or games, syllabi, lesson plans, lab experiments, images, or assessments.

The 5R Permissions

The 5R permissions are what make OER different from materials under a traditional, all-rights-reserved copyright. The open in OER doesn't simply equate to being free of cost. It is more accurate to describe it as:

open = free + permissions (5Rs)

The 5Rs are a useful way to appreciate the value of OER. These permissions help you, the user of openly licensed content, understand what you are allowed to do with the work. These permissions are granted in advance and are legally established through Public Domain or Creative Commons license. (We will discuss these more in module 4.)

Revise

The right to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself. Some common examples are translating the content into another language, or adapting the wording to fit your course or student context.

Remix

The right to combine the original or revised content with other material to create something new. This is sometimes called a mashup.

Reuse

The right to use the content in a wide range of ways. Some examples are in a class, in a study group, on a website, or in a video.

Retain

The right to make, own, and control copies of the content. For example you may download a digital copy, print a copy, and store a copy for later use.

Redistribute

The right to share copies of the original content, your revisions, or your remixes with others. For example classroom distribution of copies, or saving to an LMS for electronic distribution to students.

OER's are evolving all of the time. Review this Short History of OER to see just how much they have changed and grown over time:

"Short History of OER" by Lillian Hogendoorn, eCampus Ontario H5P Studio, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Check your knowledge of this module by completing the What is OER question set below:

"What is OER" by Rama Kaba-Demanin, eCampus Ontario H5P Studio, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Bliss, T. J., and Smith, M. (2017). A Brief History of Open Educational Resources. In: Jhangiani, R S and Biswas-Diener, R. (eds.) Open: The Philosophy and Practices that are Revolutionizing Education and Science. (pp. 9–27). London: Ubiquity Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/bbc.b.

Wiley, D. (2020, January 16). Clarifying and Strengthening the 5Rs. Iterating Towards Openness: Pragmatism Before Zeal. https://opencontent.org/blog/archives/6271

Information for this module was consulted and adapted from:

"Defining the "Open" in Open Content and Open Educational Resources" by David Wiley is licensed under CC BY 4.0

"Defining OER" in Welcome to Understanding OER, by SUNY OER Services is licensed under CC BY 4.0

"Defining Open Educational Resources" by William Meinke is licensed under CC BY 4.0

"What is OER" by The Council of Chief State School Officers is licensed under CC BY 4.0