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Open Educational Resources
Open educational resources (OER) are freely available, high-quality learning materials that can be downloaded, edited, and shared to better serve all students.
Because these resources are not confined to the same copyright restrictions as materials from traditional publishing companies, educators can modify OER to personalize lesson plans and ensure that students are receiving the most current and accurate information available without being required to wait for an updated textbook.
OER continues to be a trending topic in higher education today, and for good reason as they are invaluable student success tools that help achieve and create more accessible, equitable, and inclusive educational opportunities and environments.
Examples of Open Educational Resources: Open Resource Repositories
OER entails numerous types of resources. The following repositories showcase examples of open educational resource content:
WCET Resources
WCET Events
Accessibility Considerations in Open Education
16
Nov 2023
This webcast is hosted in partnership with NWHeat. The use of Open Educational Resources (OER) has significantly improved inclusivity and access in postsecondary education. Initially, textbook cost barriers were lowered, and many faculty have discovered that the philosophy of...
LibreTexts OER Showcase and ED’s Open Textbook Pilot Grant Program
30
Jun 2022
The Department of Education is accepting applications through July 25, 2022, for the Open Textbook Pilot Grant, which supports projects at eligible institutions of higher education to create new open textbooks and expand the use of open textbooks and...
Celebrating OERth Week
19
Apr 2021
Open Educational Resources (OER) – freely accessible and openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets that are useful for teaching, learning, and assessing as well as for research purposes – have made education more achievable and equitable for...
eLearning Consortia Innovations from CA and NY
14
Jun 2016
WCET has long supported multi-institution consortia in their collective efforts to improve services for their member institutions and, ultimately, their students. In this webcast, we heard about innovations at two of the largest consortia in North America. The California...
Leading Large-Scale OER Initiatives: Stories from the Top
16
Aug 2018
In 2018, we saw an increase in the number of institutions, systems, and states implementing open educational resource initiatives. This webinar featured three WCET members who have been part of successful scaling OER. Panelists discussed the policies and plans,...
New Year, New NCOER Initiative (National Consortium for Open Educational Resources)
14
Jan 2021
State leaders, postsecondary education institutions, and education leaders are working across state lines to promote the adoption of open educational resources (OER) to help millions of students access high-quality learning materials that are free to use, customize, and share....
OER Challenges and Opportunities
24
Sep 2020
With expert panelists Elaine Thornton, Will Cross, and Jennryn Wetzler, we explored a variety of topics related to Open Educational Resources for the Fall term, including: OER and distance education. Guidance on where to find quality OER materials. Inclusivity...
What Campus Leaders Need to Know about Copyright and Intellectual Property
23
Jul 2020
With the rapid move to online learning, many questions have arisen around copyright and intellectual property. What are the policy implications when moving from face-to-face to online? What are essential principles you and your staff need to know to...
The Cost of OER and Return on Investment
18
Aug 2021
Hosted by the Southern Regional Education Board, this session was part of SREB’s Open Educational Resources in Dual Enrollment webinar series. This session helped decision-makers on all levels – state, higher education institutions, and K-12 schools and districts –...