Open Educational Resources by School

(UNESCO Global Open Educational Resources logo)

What are Open Educational Resources?

Open Educational Resources (OERs) are any type of educational materials that are in the public domain or introduced with an open license. The nature of these open materials means that anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt and re-share them. OERs range from textbooks to curricula, syllabi, lecture notes, assignments, tests, projects, audio, video and animation. (Source: UNESCO Communication and Information)

OER are licensed in a manner that provide the public with permission to engage in "the 5 R's" of:

1. Retain- make, own, and control a copy of the resource (e.g., download and keep your own copy)
2. Reuse - edit, adapt, and modify your copy of the resource (e.g., translate into another language)
3. Revise - ombine your original or revised copy of the resource with other existing material to create something new (e.g., make a mashup)
4. Remix - use your original, revised, or remixed copy of the resource publicly (e.g., on a website, in a presentation, in a class)
5. Redistribute - share copies of your original, revised, or remixed copy of the resource with others (e.g., post a copy online or give one to a friend) (Adapted from OpenContent.org)

What is AL$?

Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) initiative empowers students to continue their education through the use of low/no-cost learning resources to bridge some of the material that is not covered in their courses. The initiative's core principles emphasize:

• Choice - Enabling the discovery of course content, including low-cost publisher content, library resources, and a wide array of open educational resources (OER).
• Affordability - Reducing the cost of learning materials for students and the CSU.
• Accessibility - Prioritizing access to a quality education and all learning materials.

You can learn more about the initiative and what qualifies as an AL$ alternative by viewing this LibGuide.

Also, you can familiarize yourself with CSUB's AL$ initiatives by viewing the following:

• CSUB ALS Faculty Showcase
• CSUB AL$ Faculty Showcases in Merlot
• CSU Affordable Learning Solutions

For additional information regarding OER and the Affordable Learning Solutions Initiative at CSUB please contact Kirstin Lattimore at klattimore1@csub.edu

Affordable Learning Solutions: Open Educational Resources by College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Under this license, you are free to copy and redistribute the material it contains in any medium or format. Also, you may remix, transform, and build upon the material.