Open Educational Resources (OER)

OER Adaptation and Creation Process

Can't find the just-right thing? Maybe an adaptation or brand new creation would be a better fit.

1. Identify what you are seeking and what already exists. 

   1. ​​​​​Find and re-familiarize yourself with your course competencies. These will provide important keywords for your searching and will aid you in evaluating the relevance of any open content you find.

   2. Scan the landscape for your content area and locate any relevant resources that already exist.

2. Consider how existing resources could be adapted for your needs. Some questions to ask: 

   1. Do you need just a part of a larger work?

   2. Do you need to change the existing resource for a new audience or application?
   3. Do you have a completely different purpose than the original?
   4. Would a different format or organization be better for your purposes?
   5. What needs to be created from scratch?

3. Obtain permission to adapt an existing resource or resources and obtain editable file formats, if possible. 

   1. This permission may be explicitly granted in the license or it may require you to reach out to the creator.
   2. Your librarians can help provide guidance for this step, if needed.

4. Select the tools you will use to create and publish your resource.

   1. The tool you select should be based on the final format and desired use of the resource, as well as your own comfort and technology proficiency.

   2. Some common choices for Western instructors are Microsoft 365 for drafting and LibreTexts for publishing.

5. Adapt, tweak, edit, and create the open option that would best meet the needs of your students.

   1. This can be a simple or complex process depending on the changes that are needed.
   2. Be sure to attribute and cite any sources as you use them.
   3. Consider accessibility as you create as well!

6. Get necessary approvals, integrate the text into your course, and then share the open resource(s) with your students and with the world.

   1. Be sure to follow any department or college guidelines for course material adoption.
   2. Your librarians can help with licensing and sharing your resource, once you get to that point. 

These steps are adapted from those outlined in the Adoption Guide from BC Campus thanks to its CC BY license. For more detailed information about this process, refer to the full Adaptation guide linked below or please connect with your librarian. 

Interested in developing a new OER for your course but want some support? 

The Open Western OER Fellowship may be just right for you!

To learn more about this experience, visit the guide linked below or reach out to library@westerntc.edu.