Open educational resources (OER) | University of Arizona Libraries

Open educational resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research resources in the public domain or released with an open license (e.g., Creative Commons license). Anyone can freely use, copy, adapt, and reshare OER. The University of Arizona is an active member of the Open Education Network, which advances open education and resources.

Opencontent.org states that true OER are free to access and follow the 5R's of open content:

Retain: make, own, and control copies of the content
Reuse: use the content in a wide range of ways
Revise: adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself
Remix: combine original or revised content with other material to create something new
Redistribute: share copies of the original content, revisions, or remixes with others

All kinds of materials can be released as OER. A few examples are:

Textbooks and lecture notes
Syllabi and full courses
Test questions and assignments
Software, videos, and games

Why OER?

OER provide students with more accessible and affordable educational opportunities. For instructors, using OER in your courses can lead to higher student satisfaction and better learning outcomes.

Since OER are free to access, these materials help address the negative impacts of high textbook prices.

Learn more about OER, their benefits, and how to use them: