As Rice prepares for dual delivery (in-person and online) of most classes for the Fall semester, DSS encourages instructors to consider including Open Educational Resources (OER) in their course material.

Fondren Library has long-supported OER as a way to reduce student course material costs and provide instructors ways to customize content to their pedagogical needs. OER are teaching and learning resources that are licensed in a way that allows anyone to freely use and re-purpose them. Examples of OER include textbooks, syllabi, lectures, learning activities, assignments, and tests or quizzes. Benefits of using OER include customization of course materials, easy online access, and reducing student cost–particularly important at a time when many students are experiencing economic hardship related to the pandemic.

The current situation highlights the importance of making–and using–high-quality, no-cost educational material available to anyone with internet access.  To help support Rice adoption of OER, DSS staff have developed an Open Educational Resources Guide, which provides resources for finding and using OER. If additional help is needed, DSS staff are here to help! Email us to schedule a consultation (cds@rice.edu). If suitable OER are not available in your subject area, see our Affordable Course Materials guide to learn other strategies for saving your students money, such as by using library materials in your course.