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What are Open Educational Resources?

In its simplest form, the concept of Open Educational Resources (OER) describes any educational resources (including curriculum maps, course materials, textbooks, streaming videos, multimedia applications, podcasts, and any other materials that have been designed for use in teaching and learning) that are openly available for use by educators and students, without an accompanying need to pay royalties or license fees.

Open Textbooks

  • OpenStax: Publishes peer-reviewed, free undergraduate-level textbooks. All books can be freely imported, adapted, and shared using PressBooks. Students may opt to purchase a print copy for a small fee.
  • Open Textbook Library: Provides access to freely available and adaptable books across disciplines. All books submitted are actively used in higher education institutions. OTL includes helpful reviews from instructors for most titles.
  • LibreTexts: Since winning a $5 million federal grant, this multi-institutional program has launched a site offering access to nearly 400 free books and courses.

Mason OER Metafinder

The Mason OER Metafinder is a search tool for open content that searches sixteen targets in real-time, instantly returning the top several hundred or so relevant hits from each site. Because it is a real-time search, it can take a bit longer than searches of pre-indexed content; however, as compensation the results returned are absolutely up-to-the-minute for each search target. Additional results continue to trickle in as the search continues running and you begin examining your results.

Go directly to the Mason OER Metafinder (gmu.edu)

Learn more about MASON OER Metafinder (gmu.edu)

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