What is OER? (And How You Can Recognize It!)
This coffee break activity focuses on “What is OER?” and “How can you recognize when something is OER?”
Learning Objectives
- Define Open Educational Resources (OER)
- Understand the core difference between materials with All Rights Reserved copyright (©) vs. materials with Some Rights Reserved (OER)
- Recognize the 5R permissions provided in Creative Commons (CC) open licenses
- Practice identifying examples of OER and open licenses
Introductory Video: What is OER? (1:39 mins)
An Introduction to OER
OER stands for “Open Educational Resources” and is a global educational movement to freely share educational resources. There are expanded definitions of OER (which we will explore in upcoming coffee breaks), but let’s begin with the most basic definition of open educational resources from the non-profit organization Creative Commons:
“Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials that are either (a) in the public domain or (b) licensed in a manner that provides everyone with free and perpetual permission to engage in the 5R activities.”
The key distinguishing factor of this type of educational resource is the copyright status or license of the material:
- The default status of original works created in the U.S. is All Rights Reserved copyright (©), which means users seek permission from the creator in order to reuse the work. (Note: We will get into Fair Use in a later coffee break!)
- OER flips the script, with creators proactively providing permissions to users with an open license, also known as Some Rights Reserved.
OER materials can be print or digital and could include a wide range of materials, including but not limited to: textbooks, videos, images, brochures, handouts, quizzes, assessment tools, courses, PowerPoint slides, and more. Therefore, OER can be used and created by faculty, staff, AND students.
The 5 Rs of OER
You just viewed the introductory video where the presenters discussed how the 5Rs are critical in defining and distinguishing open educational resources from other types of learning materials. These 5R permissions are what make OER different from material which is copyrighted under traditional, All Rights Reserved copyright. Another way to frame this is that the “open” in open educational resources doesn’t simply equate to being free; in fact, it more accurately can be described as:
Open = Free + Permissions (the 5Rs)
The 5Rs
The 5Rs are a useful way to appreciate the value of OER. These permissions help you, the user of openly licensed content, understand what you are allowed to do with the work. These permissions are granted in advance and are legally established through Public Domain or Creative Commons licenses:
- Revise – the right to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself (e.g., translate the content into another language)
- Remix – the right to combine the original or revised content with other material to create something new (e.g., incorporate the content into a mashup)
- Reuse – the right to use the content in a wide range of ways (e.g., in a class, in a study group, on a website, in a video)
- Retain – the right to make, own, and control copies of the content (e.g., download, duplicate, store, and manage)
- Redistribute – the right to share copies of the original content, your revisions, or your remixes with others (e.g., give a copy of the content to a friend)
How can you recognize if something is OER?
Look for an open license! Many open resources are licensed under a Creative Commons license, which is the most common type of open license. These open licenses provide levels of permissions — otherwise known as the 5Rs! — in advance that assist users in determining what they are permitted to do with the work. Content creators can consult Creative Commons licenses that follow a “standardized way to grant the public permission to use their creative work under copyright law.” We will go more in depth into open licensing in a later coffee break; for now, recognizing the six main types of Creative Commons licenses is enough.
- CC-BY (Creative Commons Attribution):
- You can revise, remix, reuse, retain, and redistribute the work as long as you credit, or attribute, the original creator.
- CC-BY-SA (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike):
- You can revise, remix, reuse, retain, and redistribute the work as long as you credit, or attribute, the original creator.
- You must share any derivatives (e.g., revisions, remixes, etc.) of the original work under the same license as the original.
- CC-BY-NC (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial)
- You can revise, remix, reuse, retain, and redistribute the work as long as you credit, or attribute, the original creator.
- You can also use the work for noncommercial purposes (i.e., you can’t make money off it)
- CC-BY-ND (Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives)
- You can reuse, retain, and redistribute the work as long as you credit, or attribute, the original creator.
- You are NOT allowed to create derivatives , such as revisions or remixes.
- CC-BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike)
- You can reuse, retain, and redistribute the work as long as you credit, or attribute, the original creator.
- You can also use the work for noncommercial purposes (i.e., you can’t make money off it)
- You must share any derivatives (e.g., revisions, remixes, etc.) of the original work under the same license as the original.
- CC-BY-NC-ND (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives)
- You can revise, remix, reuse, retain, and redistribute the work as long as you credit, or attribute, the original creator.
- You can also use the work for noncommercial purposes (i.e., you can’t make money off it)
- You are NOT allowed to create derivatives , such as revisions or remixes.
Below is an infographic with the icons, acronyms, and permissions for each main Creative Commons license.
Remember: If a resource has a Creative Commons (CC) license, then you know it’s OER!
Review: Self-Check Activity
For this self-check activity, review the linked resources and see if you can determine is the resource is OER or not. Copy-and-paste the URL of each resource linked below into a new tab in order to review it.
Tip: Look for a CC license or “Public Domain” icon/wording!
Explore Further
Want to learn more about the history of OER?
- Bliss, T. J. and Smith, M. (2017). A brief history of open educational resources. In R. S. Jhangiani & R. Biswas-Diener (Eds.), Open: The Philosophy and Practices that are Revolutionizing Education and Science. (pp. 9–27). Ubiquity Press. https://doi.org/10.5334/bbc.b.
- EBSCO (2019). The history and future of open educational resources in academic libraries. https://www.ebsco.com/blogs/ebscopost/history-and-future-open-educational-resources-academic-libraries
- Wiley, D. (2020, January 16). Clarifying and strengthening the 5Rs. Iterating Towards Openness: Pragmatism Before Zeal. https://opencontent.org/blog/archives/6271
References & Attributions
- Content adapted from “Understanding OER” from Open Educational Resources: Basics & Beyond by Oklahoma Council for Online Learning Excellence (COLE) Member Volunteers, licensed under CC BY 4.0
- Activity adapted from “Activity: Is This an OER?” from OER and Alternative Textbook Handbook by Ariana Santiago, University of Houston, licensed under CC BY 4.0
- Definition source from “OER” by Creative Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0
- Video source from “What is OER?” video by The Council of Chief State School Officers is licensed under CC BY 4.0
