Skip to Main Content

Open Educational Resources (S0): Home

This guide is a compilation of Educational Resources (OER). OERs are free or low cost educational materials that could supplement or be used in place of a traditional textbook.

Why Open Education Matters

Open Educational Resources

What are Open Educational Resources (OER)?

OER are educational materials that are specifically designed by their creator/s to be openly available, and are often licensed to be re-used, re-mixed, and re-distributed.  Open is not just about low cost (though that is an important benefit of using OER) but about the ability to take what others have created, customize it for your specific educational needs, and then share your creation with others.  

OER come in a variety of forms:

  • Primary sources - Images, video, and sound recordings.  Some  sources are in the public domain, while others have been licensed as open by their creators.   In addition, many texts that are in the public domain are available online/electronically.
  • Learning content - created content that ranges from individual lectures, animations, and assessments to complete courses and textbooks.  

Why OER?

The open resource movement has been around for a while, starting with static learning objects (about 2000), and transitioning to OER that allowed for revision and reuse. It is the ever increasing cost of textbooks and materials for students that is now pushing the OER movement forward.  Textbooks and learning materials cost students approximately $1,200 per year.  Through OER the cost of student materials can be drastically reduced.  OER also give instructors the ability to customize the materials, creating the "perfect" textbook instead of being bound to traditional print resources. 

  • When OER are digital and openly licensed under Creative Commons licenses, they can be shared with everyone for the marginal cost of $0.  
    • Textbooks, courses, and lesson plans become easy to find, share, customize and combine
    • Access to video lectures and various activities
    • Publishers can adapt materials and develop services for an enhanced learning experience
    • Global access … this is a global movement!
       
  • It is a great investment!
    • In addition to its affordability, there is a higher return on investment in publicly funded education and research programs.
       
  • OERs are quality, top-notch learning materials that can be revised and updated (as opposed to using outdated textbooks).
     
  • Teachers are given free license to adapt OER and improve them.

Contact Information

For help finding OERs for your TCC class, please contact the reference desk at your campus library. 

Northeast: 817-515-6629

Northwest: 817-515-7725

South: 817-515-4524

Southeast: 817-515-3084

Trinity River: 817-515-1220

OER Conferences