Finding and evaluating Open Educational Resources (OER) is a key skill for educators looking to reduce costs and improve access to learning materials. This guide covers strategies for locating high-quality OER and criteria for assessing their suitability for your courses.
Tip: Start with trusted repositories like OER Commons, MERLOT, and the Open Textbook Library to ensure resources are properly licensed.
When evaluating OER, consider:
- Accuracy and relevance: Does the content match your learning objectives?
- Licensing: Is the resource openly licensed (e.g., Creative Commons) for your intended use?
- Format and accessibility: Can students easily access and use it?
- Sustainability: Will the resource remain available over time?