Research Guides: Open Educational Resources (OER): Adapt and Create OER

OER Adaptation and Creation Guides

Authoring Open Textbooks
This guide is for faculty authors, librarians, project managers and others who are involved in the production of open textbooks in higher education and K-12. Content includes a checklist for getting started, publishing program case studies, textbook organization and elements, writing resources and an overview of useful tools.
Modifying an Open Textbook: What You Need to Know
This is a five-step guide for faculty, and those who support faculty, who want to modify an open textbook. Step-by-step instructions for importing and editing common open textbook file and platform types are included.
OER Project Estimated Time Commitments
The time required for OER projects varies greatly depending on the scope of the project, faculty familiarity with relevant technology, number of faculty involved, etc. This document from Open Oregon Educational Resources outlines estimated time commitments by project type.

Openly Licensed Images, Video, Audio, Multimedia

If you need public domain or openly licensed materials to include in your OER (e.g., images, music, books, articles, etc.) please see this Excel worksheet with a list of places you can find these materials.

OER Publishing Platforms and Tools

The platform you use to publish OER materials can be as simple as a Word document shared in a public way (such as through a submission to UNCOpen, our institutional repository) or as complex as a full e-book.

For simpler projects, consider using simple tools you already have access to, like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Just be sure to share them in a way that makes it so others can access the file.

If you have a more complex project, you may want to consider one of the resources below. As you choose an OER creation platform, keep the following in mind:

Do you want to learn a new tool, or do you want to keep it simple with something you already know?
Will your audience be able to easily use the content?
Can others easily adapt your work for their own needs?
Do you have funds for a paid subscription, or do you need it to be free?

Pressbooks
Widely used for creating accessible online textbooks with export options.
Best for: Textbooks, handbooks, collaborative books.
Licenses available through the CDHE (see below)
OER Commons Open Author
Free authoring tool with a built-in accessibility checker.
Best for: Text-based OER needing an easy publishing workflow.
Free for everyone.
WordPress
Flexible site/blog creation with customizable themes.
Best for: Course sites, modules, general web content.
Free and paid versions.

Are you working on an OER textbook?

The Colorado Department of Higher Education, with the Colorado OER Council, is offering seats on the Pressbooks publishing platform for OER created at Colorado higher education institutions. These are valued at $120-$400 annually.

Pressbooks is an open access publishing platform widely used by the open education community to adapt, create, and publish open educational resources. More than 7,000 titles have been published through Pressbooks, and it's an excellent platform for solo and group authorship.

If you are interested in this opportunity, check out the Application Requirements and the Application.

If your application is successful, you will have the support of UNC's Scholarly Communication Librarians as you publish your OER.

Questions? Contact Textbook Affordability Librarian Nancy Henke or Scholarly Publishing Librarian Stephanie Wiegand.

"unlocked icon" by Ehtisham Abid is licensed CC BY 3.0.

"publish icon" by Kamin Ginkaew is licensed CC BY 3.0.