Reusing Content or Creating from Scratch?

Creating an OER follows the same process as creating any other teaching materials, including textbooks. The only difference is the copyright and license you ultimately attach to the work.

The open license of OER also allow for more flexibility in reusing existing resources. Instead of creating everything from scratch, you can reuse and/or edit existing content that’s a good fit. This cuts down on duplicative work, saving you time and effort.

When you create an OER, you could be creating a new resource from scratch, assigning an open license to something you previously created, or adapting/customizing existing content.

Creating a new resource from scratch

If an OER that fits your needs does not currently exist, you can create a resource from scratch. This process is the same as any other creation process, except you assign an open license to the final product.

Creating from scratch can be a giant endeavor. Sometimes it’s the best option, depending on your expectations and existing resources in your subject. But we encourage you to pull on resources that you’ve already created (see “assigning an open license..”) or OER that already exist (see “Adapting/customizing…”) to help build the perfect resource and save you time and effort.

Assigning an open license to something you previously created

Many instructors create slides, handouts, readings, and more for their classes. If you assign an open license to these existing resources, they will become OER.

When using materials you’ve already created for class, make sure that these materials were not taken in whole or in part from a publisher or copyrighted work. For example, a slidedeck using images from the publisher would contain copyrighted work and cannot be openly licensed. We recommend not including any copyrighted work in your OER. However, if you feel a copyrighted material is absolutely necessary for inclusion, you can either claim fair use or ask for permission.

While you can informally share materials with colleagues, not adding the open license legally requires them to ask permission before usage, since the work is automatically copyrighted. Instead, open licenses clearly indicate what downstream users can do with your work, without forcing them to ask for permission.

Adapting/Customizing existing OER

Adapting/customizing OER means taking existing materials and changing them to meet your needs. This could involve:

• Adjusting content to update a resource with new information
• Making changes or adding content to ensure it fits your specific class
• Combining multiple resources to make a new resource, also known as remixing. This option allows faculty to make the book reflect their syllabus rather than vice versa or asking students to use multiple resources
• Customizing your resource for your class and its environment, ensuring it reflects the populations you teach and their environment. For example, including examples from Virginia or your instittuion.

This book contains guidance for using openly licensed content in later sections.