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Open Educational Resources (OER)

Benefits of Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • OER are free or low-cost and affordable for students, making education more accessible.
  • OER can be customized and adapted to the course context and combined with other content and interactive or multimedia elements to provide richer teaching and learning opportunities.
  • OER offer remote and continued access since most OER are digital, do not require an access code and do not expire.
  • OER contribute to students’ success and completion by easing their financial burden without having a negative impact on their learning.
  • OER can be an opportunity to co-create knowledge with students in the form of renewable assignments rather than limiting their role to that of consumers of information.

The adaptation of existing open educational resources and the creation of new resources are also opportunities to make course materials more accessible, inclusive, and representative for learners. This kind of flexibility rarely exists in traditional textbooks. Because OER are not created to satisfy a commercial market, they can address topics and include perspectives that would otherwise be neglected (see below).

What Niagara College Libraries and Learning Commons can do to help

  • Provide advice on how to use and interpret Creative Commons licences

  • Work though copyright and fair dealing concerns

  • Provide guidance on basic accessibility concerns

  • Provide a platform for you to publish your OER through our repository

  • Help you add your OER to external repositories

What Niagara College Libraries and Learning Commons cannot do

  • Be completely knowledgeable about all OER in your subject area

  • Make the final decision about the appropriateness of a resource

  • Make the final decision about the quality of a resource

  • Choose your textbook or course material for you

  • Interfere with your academic freedom

OER@NC

Professional Communications: Canadian edition

No matter what your field is, having professional communication skills are essential to success in today's workplace. This book covers key business communications topics that will help you in your career, including intercultural communication, team work, professional writing, audience analysis and adapting messages, document formatting, oral communication, and more.

Used in COMM1140

Book cover

Lymphedema Management Workbook

This workbook outlines appropriate treatments and techniques for physical therapists treating lymphedema. Contents include: What is Lymphedema? -- Physical Assessment -- Skin Care -- Lymphatic Massage -- Bandages -- Compression Garments -- Exercise -- Manual Therapy. This resource is appropriate for use in practice and in the classroom.

Created by Jodi Steele, professor, School of Health and Fitness Promotion

Introduction to Psychology: 1st Canadian edition

This book is designed to help students organize their thinking about psychology at a conceptual level. The focus on behaviour and empiricism has produced a text that is better organized, has fewer chapters, and is somewhat shorter than many of the leading books.

Used in PSYCH1100

Rehab Techniques in Oncology Workbook

This workbook was created by physical therapist Jodi Steele to provide information on appropriate rehabilitation techniques for oncology patients. This book can be used in practice or in the classroom.Contents include: CANCER AS A CHRONIC DISEASE -- DIAGNOSIS OF CANCER -- TREATMENTS FOR CANCER -- LAB VALUES -- MEDICAL CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR EXERCISE -- BREAST CANCER -- MULTIPLE MYELOMA -- LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA -- BRAIN CANCER -- OVARIAN, UTERINE AND CERVICAL -- PROSTATE AND TESTICULAR -- GASTROINTESTINAL: COLORECTAL, PANCREATIC AND LIVER -- HEAD AND NECK -- LUNG -- MELANOMA -- SARCOMA -- EXERCISE RECOMMENDATIONS -- INTERVAL EXERCISE LOG AND PROTOCOL -- PERFORMANCE INDICATORS -- ASSESSMENT

Created by Jodi Steele, professor, Health and Fitness Promotion

Are you using OER in your class?  Tell us about it and we will feature it in this guide!