#GoOpen with OER Commons

@LisaBerghoff

open sign board by MarkMoz12

Yes, it's the end of the school year. There are signs everywhere. The other day I saw students cleaning out their lockers, collecting what is left of their school supplies and stacking their textbooks for the end of the year "buy-back book sale". This is where our students take the books that they purchased in the fall and attempt to exchange them for cash. I can't help but slightly cringe when I see the price tags on many of these books. Did they get what they paid for back in August?

I am increasingly intrigued by teachers' and learners' use of Open Educational Resources, or OER. If you are not familiar with OER, allow me to introduce you to the world of free, high quality, adaptable resources that can be used in and out of the classroom. 

OER is not just about giving away information. It's about reducing barriers to high quality materials and education for all kids. What makes an open resource different from a free one? 

Free resources may not actually be free forever. Often, you are given a free trial or limited access for free. Also, if a free resource may not be changed or adapted to meet the needs of students, it is not OER.

Finding open educational resources is actually quite easy. I think  the best place to start is

 OER Commons Finding open resources online can feel unwieldy. OER Commons makes it simple with their search functions and extensive library. They even have collections "curated by digital librarians"!  In keeping of the OER spirit, there is also a way to connect and add content to the OER world. School districts, state boards of ed., and groups of teachers have created OER Commons groups. In these groups, there are shared resources and discussion sections for members to interact. 

Getting started with OER Commons only requires that you register by entering your name, email address, and password. 

As you are thinking about organizing your texts for next school year, I hope you will consider #GoOpen options like OER Commons.

Do you use #GoOpen resources? If so, please share in the comments section below.