Open Educational Resources (OER)

"Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost, and without needing to ask permission. Unlike copyrighted resources, OER have been authored or created by an individual or organization that chooses to retain few, if any, ownership rights.

In some cases, that means you can download a resource and share it with colleagues and students. In other cases, you may be able to download a resource, edit it in some way, and then re-post it as a remixed work. How do you know your options? OER often have a Creative Commons license or other permission to let you know how the material may be used, reused, adapted, and shared." (OER Commons)

Click here to view a list of Frequently Asked Questions and OER Mythbusters.

Benefits of Using OER: Faculty

  • Free and immediate access to materials
  • Ability to tailor course content based on student needs
  • Align and customize materials to meet course objectives
  • Opportunities for Open Pedagogical Practices

Benefits of Using OER: Students

  • Free or low-cost course materials
  • Day one access to course materials
  • Easy accessibility for diverse populations
  • Same or improved student success compared to traditional textbooks

Reviewing OER

When reviewing any resource, whether it be a traditional or open textbook, certain measures should be taken into consideration before adoption. The licensing of open textbooks allows for faculty members the option to utilize the 5Rs and open education practices to create content based on course objectives instead of formatting a course based on a traditional textbook.

The Open Textbook Library has provided Open Textbooks Review Criteria for faculty to use when considering which open resource to adopt. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​UTRGV also offers mini-stipends for UTRGV faculty who review open textbooks within the Open Textbook Library. If you are interested please contact openscholarship@utrgv.edu.

Open Access and Open Educational Resources

Open Access (OA) Publishing

These are FREE online, digital articles that are free of most copyright and licensing restrictions because of their Open license.

Open Educational Resources (OER)

These are FREE teaching and learning materials that can be used, modified, and reused because of their associated open license. 

Both OA and OER are free resources provided to the public with easy access. They allow texts to be read, kept, copied, and redistributed with limited barriers because of their open licenses. Both also ensure that the author of the work had the right to be properly acknowledged for their work and contributions.

OA materials can benefit both faculty and students in various ways including

  • Authors keep their copyright
  • Zero embargo periods
  • Ensures authors can deposit their work in an institutional repository for preservation
  • Allows other faculty and student to access work
  • Results are shared openly

To learn more visit the OA Library Guide at utrgv.libguides.com/oa.

OER can benefit both faculty and students in various ways including

  • Free and immediate access to materials
  • Ability to tailor course content
  • Align course materials to meet course objectives
  • Accessibility for diverse populations
  • Same or improved student success rates compared to rational textbooks