5
Introduction:
Now that you have a good foundation and pondered on a few questions, it is time to search for possible OER to adopt for your course. The readings and video in this chapter will provide you with a process and some tips to approach your search.
Before you get started we want you to know that the search process can be messy, may feel never-ending and sometimes frustrating. You are not alone in this, we’ve all been there. Creating a support team can help you as you navigate the “open” waters. Who, you might ask, would be good team members? Your subject librarian has likely helped others and is an excellent partner in locating OER. Consider reaching out to colleagues on your campus who are also currently adopting OER, or to those who are OER champions and have years of experience. Another excellent team member is one of the learning designers or instructional designers on your campus. You don’t have to assemble your team all at once. A good first step is reaching out to your subject librarian. The OER community is incredibly supportive and helpful, none of us want you to feel alone on your journey with OER adoption.
Read
All sections of this chapter:
-
- Introduction
- The Search Process
- Search Tips
- Getting Help
Located in the The OER Starter Kit: Workbook in the chapter called Finding Open Content
Upon completion of the readings, return to this page.
Watch
How to Find and Evaluate OER (6m 4s)
Upon completion of the video, return to this page.
Something to Ponder
- You may end up needing to search several places for OER. Because of this, it’s a good idea to keep a log of where you look, which terms you use, what categories you browse, and what you find. In advance of your search, it may be helpful to create a spreadsheet to keep track of your search strategy, or add a table to your My OER Adoption Journey document. One possible tool to make this task easier is the “OER Treasure Hunt Worksheet“. It is located in the “Finding Open Content” chapter resources. This is a great, remixable, worksheet to help you create a tracking document that suits your needs! Remix it!
- At most colleges and universities there is a librarian who specializes and works with each of the major departments on campus. Working with your subject librarian can help you develop a search strategy for locating OER. If you’re not sure who your academic librarian is visit your school’s academic library website.
Join the conversation on Twitter #OERJourney. Who is on your team and why? How have they helped you?
