3. Students benefit the most!
Save LOTS of money on textbooks and materials
Be given targeted information from broad to specific
Have homework help from outside resources in all mediums
Review materials before and after a course
This helps them choose the right courses for themselves
and they retain more information afterwards
They are able to…
4. Allows for peer review
When looking at other’s materials, or other people view yours, it is possible to
see if they have given correct information and properly licensed it. If not, it will
be edited by the community.
5. Increases available materials
ANYBODY can create and license materials from all over the world which
gives access to different learning styles
All mediums can be accessed including:
Textbooks
Modules
Pictures
Videos
and more!
6. Mix-and-Match Materials
• Create your own materials
• Use any OER materials
• Edit OER materials and combine it with your own (check licensing first!)
7. Peace of Mind
Have you ever worried about using materials that are copyrighted
during an observation?
• No longer will you need to!With OER all materials are copyrighted and as long as you
give proper credit, your materials are free to use.
9. Time Consuming
Creating materials to share can take up much time depending if you are
creating it from scratch (especially if you are working in a specific field) or
taking OER materials and adding your own information to it (with proper
licensing).
10. Quality assurance
Although materials are able to easily be peer reviewed, there is too much
material to constantly sift through. Just because something is shared does not
mean that it contains 100% correct information or is properly licensed. It is up
to the user to determine if everything can legally be used.
11. Sustainability
Finding, editing, and creating resources to share takes a lot of time and effort.
Many created materials are funded through grants, but long-term this could
prove to be an issue if funding ceases or creators lack time.
12. Non-Revocable
Once you give something a CC license, you are able to change it at any time.
However, if anyone used your material before you changed your license, they
have the right to continue under the original licensing. Be aware of what you
are licensing and choose the best option for yourself in the present and future.
13. Overwhelming
It can be overwhelming to see all the different resources at once, especially if
you are looking in a broad field of information.There are many different sites
that provide OER with similar material presented differently. Finding exactly
what you are looking for could be difficult.
14. Overall…
OER are fantastic resources that can enhance any class. Sharing
the wealth of resources not only improves your materials but gives
access to millions of people around the world!
