What are Open Educational Resources (OER)?
OER commonly refers to a freely available online resource specifically supporting an educational purpose. OERs often include learning content, tools and/or implementation resources (OECD, 2007). OA is a broader term referring to freely available scholarly content online (American Library Association, 2017). It is likely that the definitions of both terms will continue to evolve as new resources and new delivery methods are created.
This page lists multidisciplinary repositories of OER material. Most of the resources in these links fulfill all the expectations of OER, but some may not.
Can I replace my textbook with an OER?
Yes! Many faculty replace their textbooks with an OER to lower textbook costs for students. While many OER textbooks are peer-reviewed, it is recommended that you check the source for quality.
