Open Educational Resources (OER): Evaluating OER
The Five Rs
Open materials provide users with free and perpetual permission to engage in the 5R activities:
- Retain - the right to make, own, and control copies of the content (e.g., download, duplicate, store, and manage)
- Reuse - the right to use the content in a wide range of ways (e.g., in a class, in a study group, on a website, in a video)
- Revise - the right to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself (e.g., translate the content into another language)
- Remix - the right to combine the original or revised content with other material to create something new (e.g., incorporate the content into a mashup)
- Redistribute - the right to share copies of the original content, your revisions, or your remixes with others (e.g., give a copy of the content to a friend)
This material is based on original writing by David Wiley, which is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Evaluation Considerations
When evaluating OER materials, considerations include (but are not limited to):
Quality
- Peer Review available
- Reputation of author/institution is transparent
- Pedagogical methods are sound
- Allows for customization or refinement
Appropriateness
- Content is accurate
- Sources are identified and cited
- Some alignment with a learning outcome or course objective
- Appropriate reading level for your students
Technical
- High technical quality (clear visuals, high production value)
- Accessibility
- Clear licensing declaration (Creative Commons License present, in the Public Domain, etc.)
- License to remix or share again
This content is based on "OER Evaluation Checklist" by Sarah Crissinger, which is licensed under CC BY 4.0