Regardless of whether you're planning to adopt or adapt OER, they should be evaluated to assess their quality and suitability. You should assess OER as you would any other materials you might be considering for use in your course. For example:

• Does the material cover the subjects you teach?
• Is the content accurate and free of major errors and spelling mistakes?
• Is it clearly written and at a level appropriate for your students?
• Is the material accessible, with alternative text for all images and captions on videos?

In addition to these typical review processes, for OER you can also consider: How much effort would it take to elevate this content from an 8/10 to a 10/10?

If the answer is "not much," it may be worthwhile to adopt the resource now and adapt it to meet your course's needs over time.

Adapted from Evaluate OER by Iowa State University, licensed under CC BY 4.0

OER Evaluation Checklists

There are a number of checklists you could use to determine whether the OER you have found is appropriate for your needs. This checklist will assist  in determining whether the OER you have found is appropriate for your needs. 

Licensing

☐ Is the resource licensed for open use?

☐ Does the license allow for educational reuse?

☐ Does the license allow for modification and adaption?

☐ Is the resource in the public domain?

Currency

☐ Is the resource appropriately current?

☐ The content of the resource is accurate?

Quality/Reliability

☐ The quality of the resource appears to be professionally produced?

☐ The audio, video and images are of a high quality?

☐ The resource is easy to use?

☐ The resource is clear and easy to understand?

☐ The interface is easy to navigate?

☐ Do attributions or references for any third party content follow best practice?

Authority

☐ The creator is identified on the resource?

☐ The creator is reputable?

☐ Is provenance clearly described with appropriate adaptation statement/s?

Accessibility

☐ Audio and video resources have a transcript or subtitle?

☐ Alternative formats are available if required (Word document or PDF)?

Purpose

☐ The resource is aligned with the subject's objectives?

☐ The resource is aimed at the appropriate level for your students?

Additional resources

Ready to take the next step and include an OER in your subject? Or even considering adapting an existing OER or publishing a new one? Contact your Faculty Librarian to discuss how we can support you!