OER Open Educational Resources

Definition Open educational resources are free, online, and most often customizable. They may be entire textbooks, courses, units, lessons, graphics, videos, podcasts, wikis, blogs, etc. You can find these, alter them, save them, share them, teach with them.

Why use OER? Literacy is not monolithic. Print is no longer the dominant form of communication. Print is not the only form of text students need to know how to read. Kids need a tool box of skills to access content, evaluate it, use it, create it, etc.

Why use OER? Digital learners - “These teens were born into a digital world where they expect to be able to create, consume, remix, and share materials with each other.” Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Internet and American Life Project

Why use OER: Free Customizable Updateable Easy to differentiate for learners Reputable sources are contributing to what’s out there

Some of the contributors: MIT Harvard Rice University Arizona State University Stanford University Various non-profit foundations Individual educators around the world

MIT’s OpenCourseWare Started 10 years ago First big, open, online resource Free notes, videos, tests of most of their courses No credits given Resources for teachers

CK-12 Foundation FlexBooks Free Created by educators Print if you’d like – entire texts or a chapter or two Minimal cost if you print for students Some cost if you want them to print entire texts

Curriki K-12 Free teaching materials – audio files, videos, etc. Templates for print materials – worksheets, quizzes, rubrics, etc. Create groups for collaborating Need to create an account to search or create and save

Connexions Rice University Search for individual subjects Create and store items on site Not entire courses, but units or modules Need to create an account to search or create and save

OER Commons Wiki ISKME – Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management Basic introduction of OER x.php/Tutorial K-12 and college level resources Place to share with other educators

Not ready to throw out the textbooks? That’s okay. We can allow teachers to supplement their materials with OER. We can differentiate our instruction for our students using OER. Let’s see what’s out there…

Places to start exploring: