Open Educational Resources: Hei Whakamahi | How to use

The 5R framework was first defined by David Wiley and has since been used widely as a set of principles to define open content and open educational resources.

In the 5Rs, open content is licensed in a way that grants users permission to:

Before using an open educational resource, it is important to do some planning. Consider:

• Do I have existing learning material I can turn into an OER? 
• If creating a new resource, is there one I can adapt?
• Do I have material that might require copyright clearance? 
• How can I share my resources with others?
• Have I explored options through the OER Collective program? 

OER quality

There are a number of open educational resources available to use and adapt to fit. Like any learning resource, it is important to ensure it is of sound quality. Is the OER relevant and applicable to the subject being taught? Is the OER pitched at the right level? Is the content up-to-date? Who developed the content?

Copyright

However you decide to use an open educational resource, it's important to take note of the Creative Commons license attached to the resource. Creative Commons provides a good resource - 'Best Practices for Attribution'.  

Accessibility

Ensure your new or adapted open educational resource is accessible for its readers. Does the OER follow best practice accessibility guidelines? Is the OER inclusive for students from diverse backgrounds? If the OER is not accessible, reach out to the Open Research Team or Accessibility Services for guidance.