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Using OER at first can be daunting because there are so many resources and so much potential.Fortunately, instructors don't have to go all-OER immediately. On this page, we share a few small steps for those who want to get started to learn about OER and participate in the community.
Visit this ALMI guide to read about MSMU Libraries' Affordable Learning Materials Initiative and to fill out an application.
(Image by OpenSourceWay.)
OER collections like Merlot and OER Commons are made of resources created by the community. You can contribute as well! Once you've created and licensed an item, deposit it in one of these collections or choose one of the subject-specific collections listed in this guide.
Try out an OER from one of the many collections out there in your class. It can be an assignment, in-class activity, or any other small component of your overall class. If you like it, keep using it!
If you use OER material in your class, consider posting a review to let others know how useful an item is. Many OER collections like Merlot offer the option of peer reviews from the community. If you want to be an official OER reviewer, check out Merlot's GRAPE Camp for official peer reviewers.
If you run a blog or social media site, you can write a post with a review of the material that you have found and used.
Make a list on your website or blog.
Send it to a discipline's mailing list.
Post it on social media like Academia.edu or LinkedIn.
Share it with your MSMU Librarians!
Are you considering building a textbook-free course to save students money and improve teaching and learning? Apply for an MSMU Affordable Learning Materials Initiative (ALMI) stipend, or get started on your own!
Here are some tips for using Open Educational Resources to convert your class:
Set aside time: searching for these materials takes time and persistence.
Define your learning objectives at the course and topic level.
If you are working in a team, divide your workload and define responsibilities. Take advantage of tools like Google Docs that allow you to work asynchronously.
Look for complete courses and complete open texts first.
Example: Go to Open Course Library and browse the materials for their biology courses.
For some classes, you may need to incorporate multiple materials to address different topics. Focus on what you would like students to know or be able to do. Use large OER repositories to search for topic-specific resources.
Example: instead of searching for “biology”, search in OER Commons for “cell structure” or “DNA” or “evolution”.
Most open materials are under flexible Creative Commons Copyright licenses that allow the materials to be adapted. You don’t have to adopt all-or-nothing. Look for what works.
Search for library materials, especially eBooks and articles, that can support your class.
Consider creating your own resources if existing materials are not tailored to your needs.
Explore OER authoring platforms; consider what formats would be most useful to your students.
Adapt and combine existing materials.
Create new materials to fill in the gaps.
Consider sharing the resources you have spent so much time on.
Assign Creative Commons licenses to materials that you create. Sharing is at the heart of the OER movement.
Create records in OER repositories, like the OER Commons, so that others can find your materials.
This guide has been adapted for MSMU by Amy Sonnichsen from the OER - Open Educational Resources by Lauren B. Collister guide at the University of Pittsburgh, University System Libraries. Collister's OER guide is adapted from resources at Portland Community College, Virginia Tech, and UMass Amherst Libraries.
The content in this guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.