What is OER?
Understanding OER
OER stands for open educational resources. OER are low or no-cost resources that are openly licensed and available for distribution. Open textbooks are one type of OER.
Library Licensed Content
OER are different from library-licensed content, which includes articles and e-books which the library pays for. Library materials are licensed for noncommercial research, education, and scholarship. Users may view, download, and print reasonable portions. They may not redistribute or modify content in any way. Library-licensed materials have the advantage of free access as long as the student is enrolled.
- eBook Central This link opens in a new window
Authoritative, full-text e-books in a wide range of subject areas along with powerful tools to find, use, and manage the information. - Academic Video Online This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive, multidisciplinary video subscription that supports the entire range of curriculum, from anthropology to zoology. Documentaries, interviews, feature films, performances, news programs and newsreels, and demonstrations.
Finding OER
Open Access Textbooks
- American Institute of Math's Open TextbooksFor excellent math textbooks useful for university students, see these resources from AIM, includes statistics
- MERLOTFrom: California State University
The MERLOT system provides access to curated online learning and support materials and content creation tools, led by an international community of educators, learners and researchers. - OER CommonsOER Commons offers a comprehensive infrastructure for curriculum experts and instructors at all levels to identify high-quality OER and collaborate around their adaptation, evaluation, and use to address the needs of teachers and learners. Diving into OER Commons is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with other educators and learners, at the forefront of a new educational era.
- OpenStax CollegeFree and openly licensed textbooks in use by some universities
- Open Textbook LibraryFrom: University of Minnesota
You can ensure that ALL of your students will have access to your course textbook content. In addition, you can edit the textbooks to fit your courses and best meet the needs of your students. Open textbooks are real, complete textbooks licensed so teachers and students can freely use, adapt, and distribute the material. Open textbooks can be downloaded for no cost, or printed inexpensively. This library is a tool to help instructors find affordable, quality textbook solutions. All textbooks in this library are complete and openly licensed. - OpenStaxInitiated by Rice University, their free textbooks are developed and peer-reviewed to ensure they meet the scope and sequence requirements of college courses. These books were developed following traditional textbook publishing methods, including peer review, editorial support, and creation of ancillary content. Available in multiple formats.
- OASISA large user friendly OER search engine that allows for users to search by subject or by course material type (e.g. textbooks, simulations, audio).
Creating OER Resources
- 80 Open Educational Resources toolsIncludes 80 online resources that you can use to learn how to build or participate in a collaborative educational effort that focuses on publication and development of those materials. Although some choices focus solely on publication, development, or tools used to accomplish either effort, some provide multifaceted venues that offer communities in which to collaborate on one or all of these efforts.
- Authoring Open Textbooks by the Open Textbook NetworkThis guide is for faculty authors, librarians, project managers and others who are involved in the production of open textbooks in higher education and K-12. Content includes a checklist for getting started, publishing program case studies, textbook organization and elements, writing resources and an overview of useful tools.
- A Guide to Making Open Textbooks with Students (from the Open Textbook Network)A handbook for faculty interested in practicing open pedagogy by involving students in the making of open textbooks, ancillary materials, or other Open Educational Resources. This is a first edition, compiled by Rebus Community, and we welcome feedback and ideas to expand the text.
OER Courses at DelVal
Psychology
- OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.)all PY 2036 Intro to Psychology
Want to learn more?
Electronic and Instructional Services Librarian
Karen Sheldon
Assistant Professor
Contact:
Cooke Office
Subjects: Agribusiness, Animal Science, Biology, Chemistry, Dairy Science, English, Equine Science and Management, First Year Experience, Food Science and Management, Landscape Architecture & Environmental Science, Liberal Arts, Library, Media and Communication, Plant Science, Psychology, Senior Seminar, Small Animal Science