What is OER? Understanding Open Educational Resources in Depth

The concept of Open Educational Resources (OER) has sparked a global transformation in education, dramatically changing the way teachers, students, and institutions share, access, and build knowledge. Today, whether you’re a teacher, a student, a policymaker, or simply curious about modern learning, understanding OER is no longer optional—it’s essential. But what exactly are Open Educational Resources, and why are they causing such a buzz across classrooms and campuses worldwide?

This article dives deep into the world of OER, breaking down their definitions, history, licensing, benefits, challenges, and most importantly, their real impact in classrooms and educational systems. We’ll explore both the promise and complexities of OER, helping demystify key concepts with a friendly yet comprehensive approach. If you want to know how open resources are shaping the future of learning, you’re in exactly the right place.

Understanding OER: What Does ‘Open’ Really Mean in Education?

Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials that are either in the public domain or released under open licenses. This means these resources can be freely accessed, used, adapted, and shared by anyone, without the hefty price tags or restrictive copyrights that traditionally limit educational content.

The key ingredient that makes OER ‘open’ is the license. Unlike traditional materials, which are ‘all rights reserved,’ OER come with ‘some rights reserved’—usually through Creative Commons or similar licenses. These licenses enable others to not just use, but also adapt, remix, and build upon the content in new ways.

This flexibility is revolutionary: OER can include textbooks, full courses, lesson plans, videos, quizzes, simulations, datasets, and even the software required to create and curate educational experiences. The bottom line? OER are about breaking down barriers—cost, copyright, and even language—to make high-quality learning accessible for everyone, everywhere.

The Power of Open Licenses: How OER Work

Open licensing is the backbone of OER. It changes the game for educators and learners, allowing resources to be customized for specific needs, regions, and classroom contexts without fear of legal trouble.

Most OER use Creative Commons licenses, which clearly spell out what users can do with the material. These licenses support the ‘5R activities’ proposed by David Wiley, a major figure in open education:

• Retain: Make, own, and control copies of the resource.
• Reuse: Use the content in a wide range of ways (teaching, studying, sharing, etc.).
• Revise: Adapt, modify, or update the content (even translate it into other languages).
• Remix: Combine the original or revised content with other sources to create something new.
• Redistribute: Share copies—original, revision, or remix—with others.

This open framework supports everything from a single open video to entire open course libraries. But not all resources online are truly ‘open’—the devil is in the licensing details. For example, a free video with a ‘no derivatives’ clause can’t be changed or remixed, so it doesn’t fully qualify as OER.

Where Did OER Come From? A Brief History and Evolution

OER didn’t emerge from nowhere—they’re rooted in a long tradition of knowledge-sharing, which gained momentum with the rise of the internet and open-source software. The term ‘Open Educational Resources’ was first coined at UNESCO’s 2002 Forum on the Impact of Open Courseware for Higher Education in Developing Countries.

Key milestones in OER’s evolution include:

• MIT OpenCourseWare (2002): One of the first and most ambitious projects, MIT made its entire course catalog available for free online, inspiring a wave of similar initiatives (MIT OCW).
• Creative Commons launch (2002): Provided a legal infrastructure for sharing and remixing content globally (Creative Commons).
• The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation: Significant funding to fuel projects like OER Commons (OER Commons), OpenStax (OpenStax), and many more.
• UNESCO OER Recommendations (2019): Set the first international normative framework supporting OER adoption and integration at all levels.

Today, OER initiatives span every continent, with thousands of institutions, governments, and grassroots projects participating. Key platforms like OER Commons, OpenStax, LibreTexts, and Open Textbook Library make it easier than ever to find, create, and share educational resources.

The 5R Activities of OER: What Sets Open Resources Apart?

What really distinguishes OER from traditional educational content is the set of permissions built into the license. These permissions, known as the ‘5Rs,’ enable a whole new level of flexibility and creativity in education:

• Retain – Download and keep copies of the content forever—no expiration dates, no locked files.
• Reuse – Use the resource in your own teaching, in class, online, in workshops, or anywhere else.
• Revise – Update, adapt, or tailor the resource for your local context. Translate it, modernize examples, or adjust for your students’ needs.
• Remix – Mix and match parts of OERs with other content to create new, hybrid resources or courses.
• Redistribute – Share your new or adapted OER with others, multiplying its impact across the globe.

Without these permissions, educational content remains locked—OER turn the key. This open approach encourages collaboration, innovation, and more inclusive education.

Types of Open Educational Resources: What Falls Under OER?

OER isn’t limited to just textbooks. In fact, the diversity of formats is one of the movement’s greatest strengths:

• Textbooks: Open textbooks are perhaps the most visible kind of OER, often used as an antidote to high commercial textbook costs. OpenStax, BCcampus, and the Open Textbook Library are leading providers.
• Full Courses: From syllabi to complete sets of lectures and assignments. MIT OpenCourseWare and OpenLearn offer complete course packages.
• Lecture Notes, Slides, and Modules: Individual lessons, topics, or teaching units; more modular than full courses.
• Multimedia: Images, diagrams, educational videos (like from Khan Academy), podcasts, simulations, and more.
• Assessments: Practice sets, quizzes, exams, assignments, and lab activities.
• Software Tools: Platforms for creating and managing content (course management systems, authoring tools, etc.).
• Ancillary Materials: Teacher guides, lesson plans, rubrics, and other supporting docs.

Anything that supports teaching and learning, from a simple illustration to a complete curriculum, can be developed and shared as OER. And as technology advances, the boundaries of what counts as ‘educational resources’ keep expanding.

Where to Find OER: Major Platforms and Repositories

Wondering where to get started with OER? There’s no shortage of platforms, each offering massive libraries of open resources, search tools, and community features. Some of the most popular include:

• OER Commons: A global library and community of users, spanning everything from early childhood to higher education. Search by topic, grade, or language, and even use the built-in authoring tools.
• OpenStax: Peer-reviewed, high-quality open textbooks, especially strong for college-level STEM and social science courses.
• LibreTexts: A massive collection of openly licensed textbooks, especially in chemistry and STEM fields, plus the tools to remix and adapt content.
• MERLOT: Curated, peer-reviewed resources with a strong focus on higher education, plus discipline-specific portals.
• Open Textbook Library: Textbook-focused, with faculty reviews and direct download options.
• MIT OpenCourseWare: Free and open access to MIT course materials—syllabi, lecture notes, exams, and more.

Many state and regional education departments also host OER hubs, such as EngageNY or the California Community Colleges OER Initiative.

Who is Creating and Supporting OER?

OER is a true team effort, involving teachers, institutions, non-profits, government agencies, and even students. Here’s who makes the ecosystem tick:

• Individual Educators: Teachers often adapt and share materials based on classroom needs, contributing to the diversity of OER available.
• Colleges and Universities: Institutions like Rice University (OpenStax), MIT (OCW), and countless others fund and support OER development.
• Nonprofits and Foundations: ISKME (OER Commons), William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (major financial backer), Creative Commons (licensing).
• Government Agencies: UNESCO, US Department of Education, state departments (such as California, New York) provide funding, policy, and coordination.
• Collaborative Networks: Consortia like the Community College Consortium for OER (CCCOER) foster partnerships and resource sharing across institutions.

OER’s success relies on collaboration, transparency, and a willingness to share—not just content, but expertise.

OER in Action: How Schools and Colleges Use Open Resources

From supplementing existing lesson plans to building entire curricula, schools and districts use OER in a variety of ways. Typical uses include:

• Supplemental Teaching: Adding OER lesson plans, videos, or assignments to existing courses to provide enrichment or targeted practice.
• Full Course Replacement: Some districts, colleges, and even entire states are moving away from traditional textbooks, creating courses that rely exclusively on OER.
• Customized Curriculum: Teachers remix OER to align with specific standards, learning levels, or student interests.
• Online & Remote Learning: OER are especially valuable in distance education, where instant, cost-free access is vital.

Platforms like Canvas and Blackboard often integrate OER libraries directly, making it easy to incorporate open resources into everyday teaching.

The Big Benefits: Why Use OER?

OER offer a host of advantages to students, teachers, and institutions. Some of the most celebrated benefits include:

• Cost Savings: One of the biggest drivers for OER adoption. Students, especially at college level, save hundreds or thousands of dollars by using open textbooks and resources. Many institutions report significant total cost reductions.
• Equitable Access: Every student has access from day one, regardless of their financial or geographic situation. No more skipped readings due to affordability issues.
• Flexibility and Customization: Teachers can edit, adapt, or remix OER to fit their unique classroom and community needs.
• Collaboration and Innovation: OER foster a culture of sharing, peer review, and continuous improvement in teaching.
• Rapid Updates: Online OER can be updated much quicker than traditional print materials, so content stays current.
• Support for Diverse Learners: OER can be translated, adapted, or enhanced to meet the needs of different languages and learning styles.

This combination of accessibility, affordability, and adaptability is what gives OER its real-world impact.

Challenges and Criticisms: What Are the Downsides of OER?

No revolution comes without hurdles, and OER is no exception. Some of the key challenges facing adoption and sustainability include:

• Quality Assurance: Since anyone can create and share OER, ensuring that resources meet educational standards and are free of errors is an ongoing issue. Many platforms incorporate peer review, but due diligence at the local level is still required.
• Consistency and Equity: When different schools within the same district use OER of varying quality, this can create equity gaps among students.
• Copyright Confusion: Educators must pay close attention to the specifics of open licenses. ‘Open’ doesn’t always mean ‘modifiable’ or ‘free for all uses.’
• Technical Barriers: Digital OER require reliable internet access and compatible software, which isn’t always a given in every community.
• Language and Localization: Many OER are created in English, which can limit their usefulness in regions with different primary languages.
• Awareness and Training: Not all teachers and institutions are familiar with how to find, use, or create OER effectively. Professional development is crucial.
• Sustainability: Developing and maintaining high-quality OER takes time, money, and ongoing support. Funding and institutional buy-in are vital for long-term success.

Despite these challenges, the global education community is working hard to address them through better review processes, training, technology, and collaboration.

The Legal Side: Copyright, Creative Commons, and OER

Understanding how copyright and open licenses intersect is key to successful OER use and creation. Traditionally, educational materials are covered by strict copyright—the infamous ‘all rights reserved’ notice means you can’t copy, modify, or share material without explicit permission.

Creative Commons (CC) licenses were designed to provide a clear, standardized framework for sharing and remixing content. There are several types of CC licenses, but only those that allow modifications and sharing without commercial or restrictive clauses enable true OER:

• CC BY (Attribution): Use, adapt, and distribute as long as the original author is credited.
• CC BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike): Adapt and share, as long as you use the same license for your work.
• CC0: No copyright—public domain.

Licenses that prohibit modification (NoDerivs/ND) or limit use to non-commercial purposes (NC) aren’t always considered OER, especially for educational innovation. It’s crucial to check the license terms before using or adapting a resource.

Global OER Initiatives: How the World is Getting Involved

OER isn’t just a US phenomenon—it’s a growing international movement, with projects and policies in nearly every region. Some notable global efforts:

• UNESCO OER Recommendation: The first international normative instrument on OER, adopted in 2019, aims to expand open content worldwide.
• Paris OER Declaration (2012): Reaffirmed the commitment of governments and institutions to open licensing for publicly funded educational materials.
• OER Africa: Led by the South African Institute for Distance Education, supporting OER across the continent (OER Africa).
• Wikiwijs (Netherlands): A national initiative to promote open material in Dutch education.
• Open e-Learning Content Observatory Services (Europe): Fostered OER sharing and innovation across European countries.
• Asia-Pacific Projects: Activities in Japan, India, South Korea, and China—ranging from full textbook digitization to open courseware partnerships.

Across the globe, OER is increasingly seen as a tool for fostering equity, accessibility, and lifelong learning opportunities.

Major US OER Initiatives and Policies

From federal grants to state campaigns, the United States has seen rapid growth in OER programs supporting K-12 and higher education. Key highlights include:

• Every Student Succeeds Act: Encourages states and districts to use open content, and allows federal funds to be used for OER initiatives.
• US Department of Education’s #GoOpen Campaign: A push for schools, districts, and states to use openly licensed materials.
• California Community Colleges OER Initiative: Focuses on reducing costs, increasing the adoption of OER, and supporting faculty development (CA Community Colleges OER).
• New York State EngageNY: Provides OER-aligned curriculum modules for teachers, used nationwide.
• Inclusive Access Programs: While not strictly OER, these programs deliver digital resources at reduced prices, sometimes alongside OER to improve affordability.

Universities and community colleges are also driving adoption through faculty grants, dedicated OER committees, and partnerships with platforms like OER Commons and MERLOT.

Evaluating, Creating, and Using OER: What Teachers and Institutions Need to Know

For OER to be truly effective, they must be carefully selected, adapted, and integrated into teaching practices. Here’s how many institutions approach the process:

• Discovery: Searching OER repositories by subject, grade, or topic. Librarians and instructional designers often assist faculty in finding suitable resources.
• Evaluation: Assessing the quality, relevance, and accessibility of OER. Peer reviews, rubrics, and feedback from other educators help determine suitability.
• Adaptation/Creation: Remixing existing OER or developing new materials tailored to specific courses, with attention to accessibility and licensing.
• Integration: Embedding OER into learning management systems (LMS) like Canvas, Blackboard, or Moodle for a seamless student experience.
• Sharing and Collaboration: Publishing adapted or original OER back into repositories, with appropriate licensing for others to use and adapt.

Professional development and institutional support—such as grants, teaching center consultations, and OER champions—are critical for successful OER adoption and sustainability.

Ensuring Accessibility and Inclusivity in OER

It’s not enough for resources to be open—they must also be accessible to learners of all backgrounds and abilities. Accessibility basics include:

• Compliant Formats: Text, images, and multimedia must be usable by students with disabilities (screen readers, captions, alt text, etc.).
• Language Adaptation: Translating and localizing resources for multilingual and multicultural communities.
• Universal Design: Creating materials based on universal design principles so they work for as many learners as possible.

Many institutions now offer training for faculty on making OER accessible and sustainable, often as part of broader diversity and inclusion efforts.

Funding, Sustainability, and the Future of OER

While OER delivers significant cost savings for students, the process of creating, curating, and maintaining quality resources isn’t free. Funding for OER comes from a mix of:

• Philanthropic Foundations: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Shuttleworth Foundation, and others provide major support.
• Government Grants: State and federal initiatives, such as Title IV funding, support OER development and training.
• Institutional Investment: Universities and colleges fund OER coordinators, librarian support, and faculty stipends.
• Collaborative Consortia: Pooling resources across districts, states, or countries to develop, curate, and distribute OER.
• Nonprofit Contributions: Organizations like Creative Commons and ISKME (OER Commons) sustain open infrastructure.

For long-term sustainability, the OER movement is exploring innovative models, from hybrid funding and community-driven curation to open-source platforms and global standards.

Research, Pedagogy, and the Impact of OER

Some of the most exciting developments in OER come not just from the resources themselves, but from new teaching practices—known as ‘open pedagogy’ or ‘OER-enabled pedagogy.’

Open pedagogy goes beyond free resources; it encourages students to become creators, researchers, and collaborators. This might mean students writing or improving textbooks, remixing assignments for new audiences, or publishing their own open learning materials.

Research into OER’s effectiveness shows promising outcomes:

• Cost Reduction: Widespread documentation of student savings, with many institutions reporting increased course completion rates due to affordable materials.
• Positive Perceptions: Surveys find faculty and students appreciate the flexibility and accessibility of OER.
• Student Outcomes: In many studies, learning outcomes for students using OER are equal to or better than those using traditional materials—especially when OER are well-designed and integrated with pedagogical best practices.

Quality research and ongoing evaluation remain crucial as more schools, colleges, and universities adopt OER.

Major OER Projects and Success Stories

To get a sense of OER’s reach and innovation, here are a few standout projects and initiatives:

• MIT OpenCourseWare: Over 2,400 courses available for free worldwide; a catalyst for the global OER movement.
• OpenStax: Professional-grade, peer-reviewed textbooks across high-enrollment subjects, used by millions of students.
• OER Commons: A robust platform for finding, creating, reviewing, and sharing resources and lesson plans.
• EngageNY: Thousands of curriculum modules and teacher resources aligned to Common Core standards.
• LibreTexts: A collaborative platform for building, remixing, and sharing textbooks, especially in STEM fields.
• California Community Colleges OER Initiative: Statewide funding and professional development to boost OER adoption and affordability.
• Open Education Global: An international nonprofit connecting OER champions, hosting annual conferences and research summits (Open Education Global).

Future Directions and Unresolved Questions

OER is still evolving, and the movement faces ongoing debates and opportunities for innovation. Some of the most talked-about questions include:

• Digital vs. Print: Can OER be as effective for students who prefer print materials, or who have limited digital access?
• Inclusivity and Representation: How can OER better reflect diverse cultures, languages, and learning needs—especially outside major English-speaking countries?
• Measuring Impact: What metrics best capture the benefits (and possible drawbacks) of OER at scale, beyond just cost savings?
• Global Collaboration: How can countries, institutions, and grassroots communities work together for a more equitable educational future?
• AI and Emerging Technologies: How will new tech like AI enhance or challenge the creation, discovery, and reuse of OER?

As open education expands, new models, technologies, and partnerships are paving the way for the next generation of teaching and learning resources.

How to Get Started with OER: Tips for Educators and Students

Ready to join the OER movement? Here are some practical steps to help you begin:

• Explore OER repositories: Dive into OER Commons, OpenStax, and your institution’s OER guides. Browse by subject, grade, or standard.
• Ask for support: Many campuses offer OER librarians, instructional designers, and teaching centers ready to help faculty find and adapt materials.
• Start small: Integrate a lesson plan, video, or reading from an OER source as a supplement to your course. Gather student feedback.
• Share and give back: If you adapt or create OER, consider sharing your work in repositories for others to use, always respecting the original license.
• Stay curious: OER is a rapidly evolving field. Connect with community forums, attend webinars, or participate in open education conferences to stay current.

Students can also search for and use OER as study aids—even if their courses don’t officially require them. Many OER platforms support self-learners and lifelong learning.

Contact Points, Communities, and Further Resources

If you want to dig deeper or get help on your OER journey, here are some resources and contacts worth knowing:

• OER Reference Guides: Most university libraries now offer OER research guides with search tips and recommended platforms.
• Local Support: Teaching and learning centers, librarians, and OER committees at your institution are usually happy to help.
• Online Communities: Forums, webinars, and working groups—such as the OER Discussion Group or CCCOER—are excellent for networking and troubleshooting.
• Major Conferences: Open Education Conference, OE Global Conference, and regional OER summits offer opportunities for professional growth and idea sharing.

Whether you’re a teacher eager to make your course more affordable, a student looking for free study materials, or a policymaker seeking innovative educational strategies, OER offers a powerful toolkit for reimagining access and quality in education. Today’s OER landscape is vibrant, diverse, and constantly growing—proving that when knowledge is open, everyone benefits. Keep exploring, collaborating, and pushing the boundaries, because the future of education is, more than ever, open for all.