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Open Educational Resources (OER) Overview

To clearly define OERs and provide practical steps for finding and utilizing these resources.

How can the Libraries help?

Your subject liaison librarians can assist with

  • Finding OER content relevant to your class
  • Verifying licensing of potential content to make sure you can use and/or adapt the content as you see fit
  • Choosing the right license for any content you create
  • Integrating library content into your class

Most library materials are NOT open educational resources because TCC pays to acquire or license them, and they may have restrictions on what you can modify. However, because there is no additional charge to students, library materials can be seamlessly integrated into your OER class. In practical terms, this means you can use library streaming videos, ebooks, and other materials in an OER class as long as these library materials are not shared outside of TCC. 

Subject Librarians for Open Educational Resources

The Spectrum of Rights

The graphic is titled "The Spectrum of Rights" and it visually represents different levels of copyright and usage rights for content, arranged in a spectrum from most restrictive to least restrictive. Here is a descriptive transcript: Copyright Icon: A circled "C" Description: All Rights Reserved Additional Info: Re-use requires permission from the copyright owner. Licensed Icon: A circled "L" Description: Restricted Content Additional Info: Some sharing but usually restricted to subscribers. Open Access Icon: An unlocked padlock with a checkmark. Description: Free with Restrictions Additional Info: Free access but typically restricted from remix and redistribution. Creative Commons Icon: Two "C"s in a circle. Description: Some Rights Reserved Additional Info: Re-use is permitted without permission under specifications of the license. Public Domain Icon: A circled "C" with a diagonal line through it. Description: No Rights Reserved Additional Info: May be used without permission. Arrows between each category indicate a spectrum or a range, suggesting that rights can vary along a continuum from full copyright to public domain. The graphic employs a color palette of blues and grays, which along with the clean icons and clear text, provides an informative and easy-to-understand overview of content rights.

"The Spectrum of Rights" by Arturo Ozuna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0/ A derivative from the original work.

 

What Is An OER License?

Traditionally published books, movies, and other resources are not licensed as OERs and have typical copyright restrictions. Most OERs have a Creative Commons license that guarantees reuse under the conditions specified.