Open Access & Open Educational Resources

"What Are Open Educational Resources?" YouTube, uploaded by University of Houston Libraries, 29 Nov. 2023, https://youtu.be/g4RChXCYjRQ.

Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research resources that are freely available without cost or access barriers—and they also include legal permission for open use.

To be considered true OER, resources must align with the 5Rs framework created by David Wiley. These five principles outline the permissions granted to users regarding the material:

• Retain – permission to own, make, and control copies of the content​ 
• Reuse – permission to use the content in a wide variety of ways
• Revise – permission to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself
• Remix – permission to combine the original or revised content with other materials to create something new
• Redistribute – permission to share copies of the original content, your revisions, or your remixes with others

OER materials are typically either in the public domain or licensed under Creative Commons, allowing for flexible use and customization. This adaptability makes OER ideal for educators and learners alike.

Pay close attention to what licensing an OER you are using falls under, to better understand what is allowed and what is not. 

Content for this section has been adapted from “OER, Open Textbooks, and Open Courses” https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/6-2-oer-open-textbooks-open-courses/ by Creative Commons. CC BY 4.0.

For more information on Open Educational Resources check out the links below.