Open Educational Resources (OER) are freely available educational materials for instructors and students to use, modify, distribute, and reuse.
OER can consist of learning content like lesson plans, courses, assignments, textbooks, videos, exams, and more. OER also include free learning tools, such as software for creating videos and websites, course management systems, and productivity software.
“Global Open Educational Resources Logo” by Jonathasmello is licensed under CC BY 3.0.
Many students cannot afford to buy textbooks for their courses, especially those who rely on grants and student loans to attend school. The adoption of Open Textbooks or other Open Educational Resources can help students mitigate the costs of higher education.
Instead of being constricted by expensive textbooks which dictate the topics covered, faculty can modify content to fit their course needs. Creators can also update OER content over time to ensure the resource stays relevant, accurate, and up-to-date.
Resources can be accessed immediately by students and faculty, and returned to repeatedly, even after a student has finished a course.
EGCC librarians can help you find relevant OER and will work with you to determine their suitability for your course.
For additional assistance with OER, please contact library staff at libhelp@egcc.edu.
This Guide was created by Julia Stone, Reference and Instruction Librarian.