Finding quality resources is a challenge. Finding quality resources that are free and can be customized without copyright concerns is the dream. When it comes to financial support of education, not all schools are equal. There are many reasons for this that can be explored, yet one fundamental truth remains for schools lacking sufficient support: resources for students are still needed.
Open Educational Resources (OER) continues to grow in volume and quality of tools and digital material that teachers can access and personalize for their students. Additionally, learners needs can be differentiated more easily because of the freedom provided by OER to retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute without asking for permission, because these freedoms are implicit through creative commons.
What Exactly Is OER?
Open Educational Resources, or OER, is an “open” secret. The resources have been available for awhile, yet educators with needs for resources remain unaware of this treasure trove. OER are free, but their value is far more useful. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation defines OER as:
Open Educational Resources are teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use and repurposing by others. OER include full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge.”
OER material is used by teachers, curriculum directors, and instructional coaches to develop quality lessons, instructional resources, and professional growth sessions. Students can create their own OER products that support their learning and can be shared with other students. Educators and students have permission to make changes to OER for use that is intended for non-profit and/or for profit.
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