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OER Guide

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OER Resource Guide for Faculty

Welcome to our Open Educational Resources (OER) webpage! This guide is designed to help faculty members explore and integrate OER into their courses, promoting affordability, accessibility, and innovation in teaching and learning. Below, you'll find helpful sections, including a dedicated area for university-specific resources, to support you in navigating OER materials effectively.

What Are OER?

Open Educational Resources (OER) are freely accessible, openly licensed materials that are useful for teaching, learning, and research. These resources include textbooks, multimedia, lesson plans, and more, all of which can be adapted and shared. By integrating OER into your curriculum, you help reduce the cost of education for students while supporting more inclusive, flexible, and dynamic teaching strategies.

Benefits of Using OER

  • Cost Savings for Students: OER eliminate the need for expensive textbooks and materials, making education more affordable.

  • Customization and Flexibility: You can modify OER to fit the specific needs of your course, including adapting content to better suit your teaching style or your students' learning needs.

  • Improved Accessibility: OER are designed to be accessible, ensuring all students, regardless of background or ability, can benefit from them.

  • Collaborative Teaching: OER promote a culture of sharing and collaboration, allowing you to build upon existing materials and contribute to the global education community.

 

OER Resources & Recommendations

UHD-Specific Resources

OER Grant Programs

External Learning Opportunities

 

Getting Started with OER

How to Search for OER

Finding the right OER for your course is easier than you might think. Here are some tips and recommended platforms:

  • OER Commons: Search a wide range of openly licensed educational materials across disciplines.

  • Open Textbook Library: Browse peer-reviewed, open textbooks, many of which are already in use at other institutions.

  • Google Advanced Search: Use specific keywords to find OER materials. Remember to filter for content that is openly licensed (e.g., Creative Commons).

  • MERLOT: A database of online learning materials, including OER that have been reviewed and rated by faculty.

 

Integrating OER into Your Course

Once you've identified OER materials, the next step is integration. Here are some strategies for incorporating OER into your curriculum:

  1. Replace Traditional Textbooks: Identify sections of your course that can be covered by an open textbook or individual OER readings.

  2. Supplement with Multimedia: Use open video lectures, podcasts, and interactive tools to engage students.

  3. Create Interactive Assignments: Many OER platforms offer customizable quizzes, assignments, and other activities that can be tailored to your course.

  4. Collaborate with Colleagues: Consider team-teaching or creating collaborative OER materials with other faculty members.

Next Steps to Integrate OER

Are you ready to dive into OER? Here’s how you can get started today:

  1. Explore Available Resources: Browse the links provided in the university-specific OER section, and start searching for materials that match your course objectives.

  2. Join a CTLE Teaching Circle: Sign up for the CTLE OER Teaching Circle to learn more about how to use and integrate open resources into your teaching.

  3. Contact Our Support Team: If you have questions or need assistance, our OER team is available to help you at any stage of the process


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