This guide serves to provide you with a starting point in deciding if open source is suitable for your classroom environment and links to many of the resources available. This guide is only meant to provide information, it is not to be taken as legal advice.
Open Source Definition from the OER Commons website: Open Education Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials freely available for everyone to use, whether you are a teacher or a learner. This includes full courses, modules, syllabi, lectures, homework assignments, quizzes, lab activities, pedagogical materials, games, simulations, and many more resources contained in digital media collections from around the world.
The Texas Education Code, (TEC) §31.002 defines Open-Source Materials as electronic textbooks that are available for downloading from the Internet at no charge to a student and without requiring the purchase of an unlock code, membership, or other access or use charge, except for a charge to order an optional printed copy of all or part of the textbook. The term includes a state-developed open-source textbook purchased under the TEC, Chapter 31, Subchapter B-1.
For more information on Palo Alto College Open Educational Resources, OER, Initiative email Suzel Molina smolina@alamo.edu.
Open Educational Resources (OER), Open Access (OA), and Library Resources all offer text/assignment materials that are free or low cost for students. The difference can be important for you as instructor.
OER: For material to qualify as OER, it has to not only free to access, but users should also be able to retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute the content.
Open Access: This can be any material that is freely accessible. This includes material out of copyright, but also material that has been published as open access. Material published as Open Access can still be under copyright and cannot be edited without permission.
Library Resources: The library subscribes to many online resources which are free to access on and off campus by PAC students, faculty, or staff. Copyright and fair use restrictions apply and this should be kept in mind when using library material in class. All our streaming videos come with permission to show in class or assign to all students. Most of our eBooks now allow for an unlimited number of simultaneous users and can be used as textbooks; however, we still have many that can only be viewed by 1 - 3 users at a time.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of "true" OER is that in addition to being openly accessible to all, users can also change them. You should be able to:
These websites give more information about the OER movement, new developments, and offer tips and links to resources.
