Open resources can save students money, but also allow instructors to customize the teaching and learning experiences. OER allow for modification to fit the course learning objectives. As in choosing a traditional textbook, finding an OER can take some time and evaluation.
In addition to the databases and collections on the "Finding OER" page, consider contacting your liaison librarian for other options specific to your discipline.
One of the advantages of OER is the ability to adapt, remix, and integrate information from a variety of sources, all at no cost to students. Search by specific learning objectives or course components to find materials and use only what you need.
In addition to the criteria used to evaluate traditional textbooks and course materials, the suggestions below incorporate evaluative criteria specific to the nature of open resources.
Note: This information is based on a resource that was reused and adapted from Kirkwood Community College Library's guide on open textbooks, and later developed by Sarah Crissinger, Information Literacy Graduate Assistant at the University of Illinois, and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Once you’ve found an OER, you should go through a quick evaluation process to determine whether it’s right for your purposes. Research the following in your evaluation process. Along the way, keep track of what might need to be improved so you can enhance the OER for your own purposes.
