Creating OERs involves developing educational materials that are freely available for anyone to use, modify and distribute. Here are some steps you can follow:
- Identify your subject and audience: It is important to determine the subject area and target audience when creating resources. Consider the needs, interests, and level of understanding of your audience.
- Set learning objectives: Define clear learning objectives to guide content creation and help learners understand what they will gain.
- Gather content: When gathering information, materials, and resources from various sources, be sure to include a variety of sources such as textbooks, articles, videos, simulations, interactive activities, and more. It is important to use content that is openly licensed or in the public domain so that your resources can be shared freely.
- Create or adapt materials: Creating effective educational materials involves developing text, images, videos, interactive exercises, and simulations tailored to your audience and learning goals.
- Choose an open license: When creating OERs, it is important to choose an open license, such as Creative Commons, that allows creators to specify how their work can be used and shared while retaining some rights.
- Organise and structure content: To ensure effective learning, arrange the materials logically by creating clear outlines, chapters, modules, or other structures that guide learners through the content.
- Incorporate interactivity and engagement: Engage learners and enhance their understanding with interactive quizzes, activities, discussions, and multimedia elements.
- Review and revise: Ensure your resources are accurate, clear, and effective by gathering feedback and revising as needed from colleagues, educators and learners.
- Publish and share: Publish your OERs on platforms that support open sharing, such as OER repositories, institutional websites, or educational platforms. Make sure to provide clear attribution and information about the open license you have chosen.
- Promote and disseminate: To increase your OERs' visibility and impact, spread the word about them through social media, professional networks, mailing lists, and other channels. This will reach educators and learners who can benefit from your resources.
- Maintain and update: Make sure to review and update your OERs regularly to keep them accurate, relevant and useful. Create a plan for ongoing maintenance and improvement to ensure your resources remain up-to-date.