OEROpenEducationalResources

Definition

Open educational resources are free, online, and most often customizable.

They may be entire textbooks, courses, units, lessons, graphics, videos, podcasts, wikis, blogs, etc.

You can find these, alter them, save them, share them, teach with them.

Why use OER?

Literacy is not monolithic.Print is no longer the dominant

form of communication.Print is not the only form of text

students need to know how to read.

Kids need a tool box of skills to access content, evaluate it, use it, create it, etc.

Why use OER?

Digital learners -“These teens were born into a digital world where they expect to be able to create, consume, remix, and share materials with each other.”Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Internet and American Life Project

Why use OER:FreeCustomizableUpdateableEasy to differentiate for learners Reputable sources are

contributing to what’s out there

Some of the contributors:MITHarvardRice UniversityArizona State UniversityStanford UniversityVarious non-profit foundationsIndividual educators around the

world

MIT’s OpenCourseWare

Started 10 years ago - 2001First big, open, online resourceFree notes, videos, tests of most of

their coursesNo credits givenResources for teachers

CK-12 Foundation

FlexBooksFree Created by educatorsPrint if you’d like – entire texts or a

chapter or twoMinimal cost if you print for

studentsSome cost if you want them to

print entire texts

Curriki

K-12 Free teaching materials – audio

files, videos, etc.Templates for print materials –

worksheets, quizzes, rubrics, etc.Create groups for collaboratingNeed to create an account to

search or create and save

Connexions

Rice UniversitySearch for individual subjectsCreate and store items on siteNot entire courses, but units or

modulesNeed to create an account to

search or create and save

OER Commons Wiki

ISKME – Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management

Basic introduction of OERhttp://wiki.oercommons.org/

mediawiki/index.php/TutorialK-12 and college level resourcesPlace to share with other

educators

Not ready to throw out the textbooks?

That’s okay.We can allow teachers to

supplement their materials with OER.

We can differentiate our instruction for our students using OER.

Let’s see what’s out there…

Places to start exploring:

http://ocw.mit.edu/about/http://flexbooks-wiki.ck12.orghttp://www.curriki.orghttp://cnx.orghttp://wiki.oercommons.org