LibGuides: Affordable &amp; Open Educational Resources (A&amp;OER): Learn More

Introductions to OER

"What is Open Education?"
Fact sheet on Open Education and OER to learn more. Produced by SPARC, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition.

Texas Learn OER
A set of 10 peer-reviewed, openly licensed, self-paced modules developed by a community college librarian, Carrie Gits, for DigiTex (Digital Higher Education Consortium of Texas). Launched summer 2020. A certificate is granted at the end of the course.
Learn OER, Open Washington
How to use Open Educational Resources, a self-paced workshop. 10 modules developed by Open Washington OER Network.
OER 101: Theory and Practice - David Wiley
David Wiley's Blog: "iterating toward openness
pragmatism before zeal"

Join the CCCOER Community

CCCOER’s community of practice email group.
Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources. Are you interested in discussions about open education at community and technical colleges? Sign up to join. The email group is hosted by GoogleGroups so you can search the archive for past discussion topics.
CCCOER Webinars
Community College Consortium for OER. Webinars from CCCOER's community of practice.

Levels of Use

1) Adopt

Use an existing open textbook or other OER without making changes.

2) Adapt

Modify an open resource or mix parts of several existing open resources.

3) Create

Author your own textbook or other resource, and make it open.

Levels of Openness

1) Truly Open

Free resources that can be used in whole or part. These may be public domain (copyright free) or have a CC (Creative Commons) copyright license that allows open use, including copying, modifying, use in course packs, etc.

2) Free to use with restrictions

There are several levels of Creative Commons copyright permissions, some of which require that the resource be kept whole (not modified or remixed), include attribution, and/or include a link back to the source. TED Talks are an example of this. Always read the site's usage policy.

3) Low cost to the student

This includes library resources or other materials paid for by the institution and "OER" textbooks on a paid platform. Some institutions provide OER textbooks and subsidized printing, so they are free as e-books and low cost as hard copies for students. Library materials under copyright may or may not already be licensed for classroom use; fair use guidelines may apply.

The 5Rs of Openness

The Open Education movement is built around the the 5 Rs of Openness, coined by David Wiley.

Retain – the right to make, own, and control copies of the content
Reuse – the right to use the content in a wide range of ways (e.g., in a class, in a study group, on a website, in a video)
Revise – the right to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself (e.g., translate the content into another language)
Remix – the right to combine the original or revised content with other open content to create something new (e.g., incorporate the content into a mashup)
Redistribute – the right to share copies of the original content, your revisions, or your remixes with others (e.g., give a copy of the content to a friend) (David Wiley Blog)

Equity and Access

Equity & Openness: Perspectives from North American colleges and universities, CCCOER blog posts
CCCOER hosted a series of guest bloggers writing about their efforts in these areas in order to help our members and readers build professional practices that support efforts related to the intersection of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and OER.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion - Shared Google doc
Shared Google doc with links to resources, Open Education Week 2020 and 2021
InclusiveAccess.org
A community-driven initiative to raise awareness of the facts about automatic textbook billing. InclusiveAccess.org is a one-stop-shop for information, tools, and other resources to help administrators, faculty, students, and policymakers make informed decisions about the Inclusive Access sales model and its implications for the campus community—including how it differs from OER.
The Open Textbook Alliance
The Open Textbook Alliance is a nationwide project of the Student PIRGs uniting student leaders who are working to bring open textbooks to college campuses and protect students in the textbook market. "Student leaders, educators, and administrators can take a stand for course material affordability. Students should have the tools they need to succeed. Find resources and take action here."

More Quick Start Resources

Affordable Course Materials - Understanding your options
Affordable Course Materials: Understanding your options by Abbey K. Elder is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
OER Champion Playbook, Lumen Learning
This playbook equips you with great plays, strategies, and tools to help you achieve a significant impact on teaching and learning using open educational resources (OER).
The OER Starter Kit by Abbey Elder
This starter kit has been designed by Abbey Elder to equip instructors with the skills they need to confidently find, use, or even create open educational resources (OER).
Rubrics for Evaluating OER Objects by Achieve
Achieve is a non-profit organization which focuses on increasing graduation rates and preparing students for college. This rubric is an effective guide to reviewing OERs and determining their value for your course.

OER Legislation and Grants

H.R.2107 - Affordable College Textbook Act
116th Congress (2019-2020)
Federal Open Textbook Funding (10-21-21)
Press Release: U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Krysten Sinema (D-AZ) today announced the inclusion of $14 million for the Open Textbook Pilot Program in the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bill for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The funding includes more than $8.2 million in continuation awards to complete funding for the second and third year for awards first funded in Fiscal Year 2021—including a project led by the University of Illinois. The remaining funds will support a new grant competition for Fiscal Year 2022.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110-315) (HEOA)
Enacted on August 14, 2008, and reauthorizes the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).
OER State Policy Tracker, SPARC
Open educational resources (OER) has increasingly become a go-to strategy for legislators seeking to make college education more affordable and effective. More than half of all U.S. states have considered OER legislation in past years, and the trend is likely to continue. Given the increasing activity at the state level, SPARC is expanding the support we provide to our members in this arena to include a State Policy Playbook and State Policy Tracker.

Surveys, Initiatives, and Research

College Opportunity Risk Assessment: Missouri, 2018
For Missouri to thrive, all residents must have access to quality higher education. This state risk assessment is the first state-by-state analytic tool to compare the many intersecting risks to postsecondary educational opportunity. These risks are shaped by a complex interplay of dynamic forces that are internal and external to higher education. Penn Graduate School of Education, Institute for Research on Higher Education.
Academic Librarians Examination of University Students’ and Faculty’s Perceptions of Open Educational Resources (2020)
A survey of 2,574 students and 1,157 faculty members across ten institutions of postsecondary education in the state of Utah was conducted by the Utah Academic Libraries Consortium. Survey items were created to understand the influence of textbook costs on student academic behavior and the viability of faculty adopting open educational resources (OER) as a solution to the cost of textbooks and the possible need for librarian support of OER. Two-year and four-year institutions were compared to identify differences that might exist between them. Most students felt that their academic success was negatively impacted by textbook cost, particularly at two-year institutions where students registered for fewer courses because of associated textbook costs. Faculty survey findings showed that adjunct professors were more likely to require a traditionally copyright-restricted textbook. Approximately 90% of participants indicated they would be willing to use suitable OER for their course, and almost half of survey participants expressed a desire for help finding these resources. (Open Praxis, vol. 12 issue 3, July–September 2020, pp. 399–415)
A New Method for Estimating OER Savings
SPARC (2018)
The OER Adoption Impact Calculator
The OER Adoption Impact Calculator helps you understand many of the potential impacts of adopting OER instead of traditionally copyrighted learning materials. Created by David Wiley, Lumen Learning
Solving the Textbook Crisis with Open Educational Resources: How Three Collleges are Doing It.
A white paper from the educators at SoftChalk LLC.

Textbook Affordability Surveys

2018 Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey: Results and Findings
Office of Distance Learning & Student Services, Florida Virtual Campus.
Faculty Textbook Affordability Survey Yields Report, Charleston Panel, Library Journal (Jan. 07, 2020)
The Review Project, Open Education Group.
This review provides a summary of known empirical research on the impacts of OER adoption. Led by John Hilton III, with additional contributions from Stacie Mason and Virginia Clinton.

Initiatives and Projects

BC Campus' The H5P PB Kitchen: Cooking with H5P & Pressbooks
The H5P PB Kitchen is the support hub for projects awarded BC Campus H5P OER Development Grants. These projects are augmenting open textbooks with open-licensed interactive learning activities authored in H5P aimed at offering practice problems in context. We've taken on a metaphor of cooking with resources and support and seek stellar examples of well developed H5P practice activities to share with our group, especially with good feedback built in. Also, we run a series of monthly webinars, all are free and open for interested participants.

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H5P (an acronym for “HTML5 Package”) is an open-source content collaboration framework created to make it easy to create interactive, media-rich web content that works seamlessly in the most widely used platforms for creating educational content.
One of those key platforms is Pressbooks, the open-source content management system used for publishing the BC Campus collection of open textbooks.
Free the Textbook
Free the Textbook is a nationwide initiative that calls on college and university leaders, educators and students to closely examine the fine print of their automatic billing programs and make sure they are inclusive of ALL students. Automatic billing programs, also called “Inclusive Access” or “Day One Access”, can be cost-efficient for institutions or organizations, but leave out students with the most critical need. Options to "Join the Movement and to download a student or supporter toolkit provided.

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We want to make sure students, faculty and administrators are asking the right questions, like:
- Does your automatic billing program give students enough time to figure out if they need to opt-out, or does it rush them into deciding before they even understand their options?
- Does your textbook program have affordable e-textbooks, but sky-high print textbooks?
- Does it include costs up front on course listings (including lab fees and additional materials) so students can plan for what they might need to pay?
Improving Equity - Case Studies from the California Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Degree Initiative
CCCOER Blog post, "The California Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Degree Initiative was launched through a $5 million dollar Governor’s budget allocation in spring 2016 with the goal of reducing costs for community college students by implementing associate transfer degrees and career technical education certificates where all textbook costs have been eliminated through the adoption of alternative instructional materials and methodologies, including open educational resources (OER)."
Marking Open and Affordable Courses: Best Practices and Case Studies. Mavs Open Press.
This collaborative project resulted in an open text that serves as a guide for colleges as they choose, or are required by state law, to inform students which courses on campus use open educational resources or other low cost materials. The guide offers an analysis of the technology, legislation, and cultural change needed, followed by case studies to illustrate the process. Marking courses is the first step in collecting data in order to use that information for assessment and informed decision making. Examples of how to set up a workable system that makes it easy for students to find classes with free materials are provided, along with the benefits of such a system are discussed. Appendix B lists benefits of OER from a student, faculty, and institutional perspective. An exhaustive list of references is provided. Use more link below for citation.

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Ainsworth, B., Allen, N., Dai, J., Elder, A., Finkbeiner, N., Freeman, A., Hare, S., Helge, K., Helregel, N., Hoover, J.,
Kirschner, J., Perrin, J., Ray, J., Raye, J., Reed, M., Schoppert, J., & Thompson, L. (2020). Marking Open and Affordable Courses: Best Practices and Case Studies. Mavs Open Press. https://uta.pressbooks.pub/markingopenandaffordablecourses/

Research and Articles

A Looming Challenge for OER? Inside Higher Ed (March 10, 2020)
While OER adoptions and awareness continue to grow, Seaman suggests the movement may need to alter its messaging to fend off competition from new publisher distribution models such as inclusive access, where institutions can automatically bill students for their course materials after negotiating a bulk discount.
Inflection Point: Educational Resources in U.S. Higher Education, 2019
Julia E. Seaman and Jeff Seaman, Bay View Analytics. 2020. "The model of course material distribution and selection is at an inflection point. After decades of only minor changes to how faculty discovered and adopted textbooks for their courses, the past five years has been marked by substantial changes (refer to last summary page of linked report). This study examines a new trend in the provision of course materials: inclusive access. Inclusive access agreements are an emerging distribution model that go by a variety of names, with no single clear definition.

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OpenStax defines inclusive access as follows: Inclusive access programs are an agreement among universities, textbook publishers, and campus bookstores. Students are automatically signed up to get digital course materials, the cost of which gets folded into their tuition and fees when they enroll in a class.
A multi-institutional study of the impact of open textbook adoption on the learning outcomes of postsecondary students
Fisher, L., Hilton III, J., & Wiley, D., Robinson, T. J., & Wiley, D. A. (2015).
A multi-institutional study of the impact of open textbook adoption on the learning outcomes of postsecondary students. J Comput High Educ, 27:159–172.
Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12528-015-9101-x.pdf
Textbook Broke: Textbook Affordability as a Social Justice Issue
Jenkins, J. J., Sánchez, L. A., Schraedley, M. A., Hannans, J., Navick, N., & Young, J. (2020). Textbook Broke: Textbook Affordability as a Social Justice Issue. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 1(3), 1-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/jime.549
Transitioning textbooks to open, lessons and insights, Jisc Blog
Caroline Mackay, 26 Sept, 2019

Policy and Advocacy

The Affordable College Textbook Act, article (sparcopen.org)
The Affordable College Textbook Act seeks to reduce the cost of textbooks at U.S. colleges and universities by expanding the use of open textbooks (and other open educational resources) that everyone can use, adapt and share freely.
H.R.2107 - Affordable College Textbook Act
Sponsor: Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (Introduced 04/04/2019)
Committees: House - Education and Labor
Latest Action: House - 04/04/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. (All Actions)

Webinars & Videos

Archived Webinar: Getting Started with OER, OpenOregon during OpenEd Week
This webinar covers the basics, including Why high textbook costs are a problem for students; How OER differ from free resources; How Creative Commons licenses work, and How to incorporate open pedagogy into a class. (March 2020). Presenter: Cheryl Cuillier, Open Education Librarian at the University of Arizona.
Culture Shift to Academic Freedom, CCCOER Webinar & Slides
Open Education gives faculty the academic freedom to find, adapt, and create materials that are focused on how and what their students need to learn and be successful in their courses. It takes time and a different approach to your teaching practice. No longer limited by a commercial textbook’s outline of topic materials and lack of access by a significant percentage of their students, a faculty member can engage their students in more meaningful and effective learning experiences. Hear from faculty, an administrator, and a student who are engaged in this sometimes challenging culture shift to reduce inequity and grow our pedagogical practices. (Oct. 14, 2020)
OER as a Social Justice Issue (52:56)
Presenter: Katie Miller, Library Director, Aiken Technical College, South Carolina, Nov. 12, 2020
Presentation starts at 5:18
OER Impact Research, CCCOER Webinar (Nov. 13, 2019)
Video and slidedeck. When starting an OER initiative at your institution, it is important to consider how you will measure the impact that OER is having on teaching and learning. This webinar will discuss the best studies that are currently out there, key research designs for institutions, lessons learned, and what data institutions should be collecting.
OER Stories, Open Washington
Short videos. Faculty and students share their experiences with OER.
Why It’s So Hard to Lower the Cost of Textbooks
EdSurge Podcast, July 28, 2020

Open Pedagogy

What is Open Pedagogy?
"Open pedagogy, also known as open educational practices (OEP), is the use of open educational resources (OER) to support learning, or the open sharing of teaching practices with a goal of improving education and training at the institutional, professional, and individual level. When you use open pedagogy in your classroom, you are inviting your students to be part of the teaching process, participating in the co-creation of knowledge. The combined value of content and pedagogy helps us make the best use of openly licensed materials to create affordable, accessible, and effective learning environments." --BC Campus OpenEd
Open Pedagogy Notebook
“Open Pedagogy,” as we engage with it, is a site of praxis, a place where theories about learning, teaching, technology, and social justice enter into a conversation with each other and inform the development of educational practices and structures. Open pedagogy empowers learners through autonomy, responsibility, and contribution. Students who work on open projects and activities report being more engaged and find the learning more meaningful."
Pedagogies of Care: Open Resources for Student-Centered & Adaptive Strategies in the New Higher-Ed Landscape
Offers practical and engaging advice about what "next" should look like across higher education, from sixteen current and forthcoming authors in the Teaching and Learning in Higher Education book series from West Virginia University Press: “Contributors created videos, audio podcasts, interviews, infographics, and articles. All are underpinned by a student-centered, evidence-based ethos.”

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You are welcome to use these resources in your own teaching preparations—however they can be useful for you. Our aim is to help facilitate successful teaching and learning in a time of disruption and hardship. “You are not alone.”

OER texts about Open Education

A Guide to Making Open Textbooks with Students
A Guide to Making Open Textbooks with Students by Rebus Community is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
Open: The Philosophy and Practices that are Revolutionizing Education and Science
Jhangiani R. & Biswas-Diener R. (eds.) 2017. Open: The Philosophy and Practices that are Revolutionizing Education and Science. London: Ubiquity Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/bbc
Open Pedagogy Approaches: Faculty, Library, and Student Collaborations
Open Pedagogy Approaches by Alexis Clifton and Kimberly Davies Hoffman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Remixing & Authoring Resources

Creating a Remix on OER Commons,
Katz, Kate Aug. 8, 2019)
A Guide to Making Open Textbooks with Students
A Guide to Making Open Textbooks with Students by Rebus Community is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
"LibreText Remixer Tutorial" (Links to an external site.) by LibreText (instructions with video tutorial)
Authoring Open Textbooks, Open Textbook Network
Written by Melissa Falldin and Karen Lauritsen. This guide is for faculty authors, librarians, project managers and others who are involved in the production of open textbooks in higher education and K-12. Content includes a checklist for getting started, publishing program case studies, textbook organization and elements, writing resources and an overview of useful tools.
The Rebus Community
Rebus Community is a platform for creating and publishing open textbooks. The community is made up of faculty, students, and staff from schools, colleges, and universities around the world who believe that educational materials for every subject should be a free and open public resource.


Can I edit or change an open textbook I find in the Open Textbook Library?: Usually, yes. The vast majority of open textbooks have a Creative Commons license that allows for editing, adapting and making derivatives.
The license says it’s okay. How do I edit an open textbook?: A lot depends on the file types the author or publisher has made available. You may need technical support from local staff at your institution. See the guide linked below for additional information.

Modifying an Open Textbook: What you Need to Know
This is a five-step guide for faculty, and those who support faculty, who want to modify an open textbook. Step-by-step instructions for importing and editing common open textbook file and platform types are included.

Accessibility

Accessibility & Universal Design, Pressbooks User Guide
Accessibility Toolkit, BC Campus Open Education
The goal of the Accessibility Toolkit - 2nd Edition is to provide resources for each content creator, instructional designer, educational technologist, librarian, administrator, and teaching assistant to create a truly open textbook—one that is free and accessible for all students. See Appendix A: Checklist for Accessibility.
OER and Accessibility: Working Toward Inclusive Learning

Affordable & Open Educational Resources (A&OER)

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