Open Education Resources: An Introduction

1. OPEN SIMPLY MEANS FREE
   1. FACT:  Open means the permission to freely download edit, and share materials to better serve all students
2. ALL OER ARE DIGITAL
   1. FACT:  OER take many formats, including print, digital, audio, and more
3. "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR"
   1. FACT:  OER can be produced to the same quality standards as tradition textbooks
4.  COPYRIGHT FOR OER IS COMPLICATED
   1. FACT:  Open licensing makes OER easy to freely and legally use
5. OER ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE
   1. FACT:  Models are evolving to support the sustainability and continuous improvement of OER
6. OPEN TEXTBOOKS LACK ANCILLARIES
   1. FACT:  Open textbooks often come with ancillaries, and when they do not, existing OER can provide additional support
7. MY INSTITUTION IS NOT READY FOR OER
   1. FACT: Any institution can start with small steps toward OER that make an impact for students

SPARC (2017). OER Mythbusting. Washington, DC: SPARC