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Get Up To Speed with OER

This is a self-paced tutorial for faculty and staff to learn about Open Educational Resources - what they are, how to find and evaluate them, how to adapt and create them, and how to handle the copyright and technical implications.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Download and explore one of the tools recommended in this module. Think about how to compares to more familiar tools (for example, how LibreOffice compares to MS Office.) If you haven't used a tool like this, look up some how to manuals and video tutorials on the tool you've chosen. 
  2. Scout around for an OER (perhaps the one you evaluated in the Module 3 questions for reflection.)
    • Determine whether there is an editable source file available, and if so, how do you obtain it? Decide what tool would work best to edit it. 
    • What kinds of changes or improvements would you make to the OER you selected so that it would be appropriate for students in one of your courses? If you don't feel any changes need to be made, explain why it is already appropriate for them.

  3. Find a (short) OER video:

    • Play it with your eyes shut. Do you lose any of the experience?

    • Now play it with the sound turned down and just the captions. What's missing?

  4. Now we are going to try to simulate short term memory demands. Turn on a tv show or audiobook that really interests you (or if you have an energetic toddler handy, let them in the room) and try to read a page or two of The Oxford Medical Publications' Manual of Surgery, a poorly formatted ebook. How could that content be made easier to take in, both visually and cognitively?
  5. For good measure, go to Project Gutenberg and look up the Oxford Medical Publications' Manual of Surgery, and go to chapter 3. DO NOT USE YOUR MOUSE. Can you do it? How could this be made easier for the user?