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Open educational resources

Take a look at resources on creating and using open materials in your teaching.

What are open educational resources?

According to the UNESCO definition, open educational resources (OER) are teaching, learning and research materials in any medium that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open licence that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions.

Open educational resources can include online courses (e.g. on FutureLearn), lecture slides, quizzes and assignments, video and audio materials, open text books, and Open Research materials, including datasets.

The 5R activities

The key to open educational materials is that they are not only available to access, but also available to re-use in the following ways, known as the five Rs:

  • Retain – make, own and control a copy of the resource (e.g. download and keep your own copy)
  • Revise – edit, adapt and modify your copy of the resource (e.g. translate into another language)
  • Remix – combine your original or revised copy of the resource with other material to create something new (e.g. make a mashup)
  • Reuse – use your original revised or remixed copy of the resource publicly (e.g. on a website, in a presentation, in a class)
  • 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).