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What is OER?

Since the term Open Educational Resources (OER) was introduced in 2002, institutions and governments have recognized their potential to create equitable and affordable educational opportunities. By providing materials that are freely available and openly licensed—like textbooks, assignments, and even entire courses—OER help reduce the financial burden on learners and support a more inclusive learning environment.

OER is defined by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation as:

"Teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use and re-purposing by others."

Examples of OER Include:

• Textbooks
• Assignments and assessments
• Simulations
• Syllabi
• Complete courses

Why OER Matter

For Learners

• Save Money: The average annual cost of textbooks ($1,200–$1,300) is significantly reduced with OER.
• Decrease Debt: Help CU Boulder graduates reduce their average student loan debt of $27,405.
• Boost Success: Address barriers that lead students to avoid purchasing materials, skip courses, or perform poorly due to lack of resources (Florida Virtual Campus, 2016).
• Immediate Access: Ensure all students have the materials they need on day one.
• Promote Equity: Level the playing field for students of all backgrounds.

For Educators

• Customization: Modify and localize content to better meet the needs of your course and students.
• Freedom: Adapt, reorder, delete, or remix materials to align with your teaching goals.
• Collaboration: Foster partnerships with students and colleagues to create meaningful learning resources.
• Innovation: Move beyond traditional publishing models to create dynamic, learner-centered content.

OER Impact at a Glance

• Cost Savings: Between 2012–2018, students, institutions, and governments saved over $1 billion through OER initiatives (Allen, 2018).
• Student Reach: OpenStax reported that 2.2 million students saved $177 million in 2018 alone (Ruth, 2018).
• Faculty Awareness: 64% of faculty were aware of OER by 2018, highlighting increased understanding of their benefits for students (Seaman & Seaman, 2018).

How OER Support Equity

As DeRosa and Jhangiani (2017) emphasize, choosing OER allows educators to address the systemic challenges of high textbook costs while fostering inclusive and equitable learning experiences. By considering diverse authors and perspectives in OER content, educators can ensure all students feel represented and supported in their academic journey.

Learn More About OER

OER inspire innovative teaching practices while reducing the cost of education. To explore how you can integrate OER into your courses, visit these resources:

• Contact the

Further Reading & Resources:

  Allen, N. (2018, October 12). $1 Billion in Savings through Open Educational Resources. SPARC.

  DeRosa, R., & Jhangiani, R. (2017). Open pedagogy. In E.  Mays (Ed.), A guide to making open textbooks with students. Retrieved fromhttps://press.rebus.community/makingopentextbookswithstudents/chapter/open-pedagog

  Florida Virtual Campus. (2018). 2018 Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey (p. 4). Office of Distance Learning & Student Services.

  Ruth, D. (2018). 48 percent of colleges, 2.2 million students using free OpenStax textbooks this year—OpenStax. OpenStax.

  Seaman, J., & Seaman, J. (2018). Freeing the Textbook: Educational Resources in U.S. Higher Education. Babson Survey Research Group.

_Answers:

1. _{Yes – OER significantly reduce costs for students by eliminating textbook expenses.}
2. _{Yes – Educators can adapt, remix, and localize OER to meet specific course objectives.}
3. _{No – OER are flexible and allow modifications to suit teaching needs.}
4. _{Yes – OER help bridge financial and access gaps, promoting equitable education.}
5. _{Yes – Collaboration in creating and using OER fosters a dynamic and inclusive learning environment.}