Why use OER?
Open Educational Resources allow instructors to create personalized, flexible, diverse learning resources for students while reducing textbook costs associated with courses at Colorado Mesa University. In addition to this comprehensive list of benefits, be sure to browse our list of research articles associated with the benefits of OER.
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Eliminate or reduce textbook costs for students
The unexpected cost of textbooks can negatively impact student retention. OER are free and easily accessible to students and the academic community. By reducing textbooks costs in your classroom you are empowering students to succeed.
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Academic freedom for instructors
OER allow adapting/modifying content or submitting your own published work – so instructors are able to tailor resources to better align with a specific course context. This creates more room for pedagogical evaluation and flexibility within the classroom. OER can also create potential for more experiential learning opportunities for students.
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Enhance traditional course content
Utilizing multiple OER formats in the classroom creates potential to accommodate different learning styles so students can better understand course material.
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Showcase CMU faculty
Adapting or creating OER for your course presents opportunities to showcase faculty research, innovation and talent at Colorado Mesa University. Students and a wide audience within the academic community accessing open resources through repositories are better able to recognize our faculty's dedication to innovation and academic rigor.
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Reusable and copyright free
Since OER are public domain or creative commons licensed, students and instructors benefit from reusable materials that can be modified and iterated over time. The reusability of OER allow students to access course materials indefinitely.