LibGuides: OER / Resources for Faculty: OER / Resources for Faculty

An Introduction to Open Educational Resources

What is OER?

THECB Definition of OER
An Open Educational Resource (OER) is a teaching, learning, or research resource that is in the public domain or has been released under an intellectual property license that permits the free use, adaptation, and redistribution of the resource by any person.
Creative Commons (and other) Definitions of OER
Blinn Faculty Handbook / Open Educational Resources
Section 2.29.10.2 of the Faculty Handbook provides guidelines for recommending OER content for Blinn College District courses.

Open Educational Materials are free digital learning materials that may be reused and/or customized. They often use Creative Commons copyright. OERs can include:

Lesson plans
Textbooks
Learning modules
Lecture notes and slides
Syllabi
Assignments
Podcasts and videos
Training materials

OER Commons & Open Education
Texas Learn OER
Texas Learn OER is an online course module designed to familiarize faculty with OER content and management
TXDLA - Texas Digital Learning Association
TXDLA members have a strong interest in keeping abreast of the ideas, technologies, and content that will help them develop and maintain leading-edge digital learning programs and products.
OER Fellowship Program
Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources (CCCOER)
This group promotes the awareness and adoption of open educational policies, practices, and resources.
Digitex
Offers information and training related to Open Educational Resources.
OER Digest
The Digest is a joint project of SPARC, the Student PIRGs, and Creative Commons.
SPARC*
Non-profit advocacy organization that supports OER
Creative Commons

Creative Commons Overview
Includes links to Creative Commons State of the Commons Annual Reports, tools, licenses, etc.
Creative Commons Licenses
Provides an overview of the different types of Creative Commons Licenses available to grant copyright permissions to works created by individuals as well as large companies and institutions.

Alternatives to Traditional Textbooks

CSU Affordable Learning Solutions
Enter a textbook ISBN to find FREE online course materials related to a book.
Cool4Ed
Find free an open eTextbooks in the MERLOT collection
OERTX
Texas Digital Repository for Open Educational Resources being used and created by Texas institutions of higher education. You can search by subject, education level, and course inventory.
OER Commons
From a single point of access in OER Commons, you can search, browse, and evaluate resources in OER Commons' growing collection of over 50,000 high-quality OER.
Creative Commons Search -- now called Openverse
Use this link to browse through over 600 million items in the Creative Commons open source project.

Library eBooks can be read via an internet browser using your MyBlinn log-in credentials. These are available to all Blinn College District's students, faculty, and staff. Permissions for books in our collection range from single-user to unlimited use including unlimited downloading and printing. We can also add chapters into our electronic reserves platform upon request. Check with your Blinn College District Librarian for more information. .

Library Databases
The library subscribes to approximately 150 databases that include access to articles, ebooks, and streaming media. Links to specific resources can be shared in our eCampus courses.

Hathi Trust
Not everything in the Hathi Trust is full text, but many classic books are full text here.
Internet Archive
Many books available. Often provides multiple format options.
Project Gutenberg
Large collection of full text and audio versions of classic books.
PublicLiterature.org
Provides full text of many classic works, and as well as contributed selections from modern authors.
Page by Page Books
Provides many full text titles. Uses a very simple format that doesn't require any software downloads.
Bartleby.com
Large collection of classic poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.
Open Source Shakespeare
Complete collection of works in very accessible html format.

OER / Resources for Faculty

Director, Bryan/RELLIS Library

Director, Brenham Campus Library

An Introduction to Open Educational Resources

What is OER?

Alternatives to Traditional Textbooks