Introduction to OER

Another definition on offer comes from the USQ that states:

"Open Educational Resources (OER) are digitised materials offered freely and openly for educators, students and self-learners to use and reuse for teaching, learning and research" (LIN8020: Digital Literacies, 2017).

In other words, the range of possible OER's is very broad, and hence there is a lot of flexibility involved. To clarify the context, it’s important to understand one of the reasons for OER. That is, to provide an organic like existence for ongoing development [growth].

Further, the purpose via important components of evaluation 'usability' and 'utility', that is 'functionality', the OER is suppose to help participants to become expert learners who are strategic, skilful, and goal directed, knowledgeable, purposeful and motivated to learn more.

Therefore, this concept cannot delimit OER's to only downloadable materials that are used off-line. This has been one of the limiting factors with education for all. Change is eminent, as education strives to create a prosperous existence with the broad context of OER in a collective world.

RECAP: What makes an OER?

• Educational curriculum, materials or mixed media.

• Discoverable online as they are shared freely and openly.

• Openly licensed via Creative Commons.

• Can be legally used by anyone to repurpose, improve or redistribute.

• Copyright has been repurposed for this use via Creative Commons with a variety of copyright pathways for publishing and repurposed resources for education.