Module 6
At the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Understand the importance of content and technical accuracy in the use of OER.
- Describe three aspects of an OER that should be assessed before use.
- Explain why it is necessary to assess an OER's adaptability.
You should always evaluate the resources you implement in your classroom, no matter where they come from. Some of the evaluation criteria listed below are universal, and others (such as Adaptability and Modularity) are specific to OER.[1]
Considerations
- Is the content, including any instructions and exercises, clear and comprehensible to students?
- Is the content consistent with its language and formatting? (e.g. key terms are bold)
- Is the content well-organized in terms of sequencing and flow?
The accuracy of the content you use is also a major component of its usability in the classroom. Be sure to check for technical errors such as broken links or typos. In most cases, content accuracy will not be an issue, but some older resources may require updates.
Considerations
- Is the content accurate based on your expertise?
- Are there any factual, grammatical, or typographical errors?
- Is the interface navigable for students?
Because of their open licenses, OER permit a wider range of (re)use than most traditional educational content; therefore, it is important to keep in mind how your chosen OER can be adapted. Modularity, or the ability to be broken up into smaller pieces easily, is one feature of an OER that should be preferred when possible. When creating OER, using clear chapter and unit breaks can help other instructors adopting or adapting your resource for their own courses.
Considerations
- Is the resource in a file format which allows for adaptations, modifications, rearrangements, and updates?
- Is the resource easily divided into modules, or sections, which can be used or rearranged out of their original order?
- Is the content available under a license which allows for modifications?
Although there may be OER available in your field, some resources may require minor edits or additions. Keep in mind that the open licenses of OER mean that they can be edited or even combined with other resources. This can be particularly useful if you would like to adopt a chapter from one OER for the first unit of your course but prefer alternate resources for other units.
Considerations
- Is the content presented at a reading level appropriate for your students?
- How does the content align with your course learning objectives?
- Is the content level appropriate for use in your course?
- Scope: Content is (a) peer reviewed or contains appropriate references to verifiable resources, (b) original or from a primary source (which you can locate and use instead), and (c) aligned to the course’s learning objectives.
- Authority: The publisher is known and respected among professionals, the author is an expert in the field, the host site is reputable, and the content is unbiased.
- Reliability: The content (a) was published recently or contemporary to the discovery of the information, (b) is highly trafficked or referenced, and (c) is located on a stable URL (e.g., on the institution’s own servers, on a library or government archive site, on the site of a repository or organization that has a long track record).
- Licensing: Content is published under a flexible and easy-to-meet licensing requirement (e.g., a Creative Commons license).
- Accuracy: Content is thoroughly documented, is updated frequently, and aligns with the course’s other materials and objectives.
- Professionalism: Content has quality graphics, no broken links, complementary color schemes, and an uncluttered layout. Content does not require any kind of registration to access.
If an OER meets most or all of these standards, you can be confident that it will be academically rigorous and support students’ learning.
No matter what resources you plan to adopt, accessibility should always be a part of your assessment process. Many published-provided homework products are not accessible to students and can cause unexpected issues. Similarly, some OER may not be optimized for students with visual or auditory impairments. See our Accessibility & Usability chapter for more details.
Considerations
- Is the content accessible to students with disabilities through the compatibility of third-party reading applications?
- If you are using Web resources, does each image have alt text that can be read? Do videos have accurate closed-captioning?
- Are students able to access the materials in a quick, non-restrictive manner?
If you would like a personal copy of these considerations, visit or download them through the Evaluating OER Checklist in Google Docs.
This chapter covers content assessment, or how an instructor can assess OER for quality and fit in their class. For a better understanding of assessing course outcomes from using OER, see our Assessing Course Outcomes chapter.
Unless they’re in the public domain, OERs are protected under copyright law just like any other work of intellectual property. However, OERs have open licenses, which are licenses whose goal is to make copyrighted works more widely available without the expectation of payment.
Many OERs have licenses from Creative Commons, a nonprofit organization that has created easy-to-understand open licenses that explain exactly how you’re allowed to use others’ works. If you comply with the simple terms of the license, then you are welcome to use the work. However, if you’re unable to comply with the terms of a license for any reason, you have two options:
- Don’t use the work.
- Use only a small portion of the work in compliance with fair use standards.
If you need help determining how to make a strong claim for fair use, check out our article “Fair Use in More Detail,” or if you’re unsure about how to handle copyright issues in general, check out our article “Copyright and Plagiarism: The Bare Minimum Instructors Need to Know.”
Click the links below to view videos and download presentation slides that explain how to apply the rubrics and use the OER Evaluation tool.
An Introduction to the Achieve OER Rubrics | Video
Rubric I: Alignment to Standards | Video
Rubric II: Quality of Explanation of the Subject Matter | Video
Rubric III: Utility of Materials Designed to Support Teaching | Video
Rubric IV: Quality of Assessment | Video
Rubric V: Quality of Technological Interactivity | Video
Rubric VI: Quality of Instructional Tasks and Practice Exercises | Video
Rubric VII: Opportunities for Deeper Learning | Video
Using the Achieve OER Evaluation Tool on OER Commons | Video
Examples of rubrics for evaluating OER are available below:
- Open Textbook Network Review Rubric
This is the review rubric that is used in the Open Textbook Network's Library, developed by BCcampus.
- Faculty Guide for Evaluating OER [pdf]
Developed by BCCampus OpenEd Resources (BCOER), this document provides a checklist of traits to look out for in OER.
- Achieve's Rubrics for Evaluating OER [pdf]
Achieve.org has developed a rubric with 8 core principles found in high quality OER.
•OER Accessibility (from https://libraries.etsu.edu/research/oer/evaluate)
•OER and Accessibility lists a multitude of resources on evaluating and finding OERs, specifically through MERLOT II.
•BC Open Textbook Accessibility Toolkit provides information on evaluating and creating open textbooks, including a checklist for accessibility.
•Accessibility Module outlines how to evaluate and create accessible video, images, course materials, and textbooks.
•Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool analyzes websites to determine if they meet accessibility guidelines.
•Evaluation Rubrics, Checklist and Tools (from https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/oer/pro-con-oer.html)
•Achieve.org has developed eight OER rubrics as well as an evaluation tool to help users determine the degree of alignment of OER to the Common Core State Standards, and aspects of quality of OER. More OER Rubrics training materials can be found through Archieve.org website.
•[Summarized] Rubrics for Evaluating Open Education Resources Objects
•This 2-page rubric is a synthesis version of the eight (8) separate rubrics for the evaluation of OERs created by ACHIEVE.org. It is meant as a ready reference for quick evaluation of an OER.
•Achieve Open Educational Resources Evaluation Tool Handbook
•This handbook will guide a user through the process of evaluating an online resources using Achieve OER Evaluation Tool, which is hosted on OERCommons.org.
•iRubric: Evaluating OER rubric
•Questions to ask about the OER you are thinking of using. This rubric is developed by Sarah Morehouse with help from Mark McBride, Kathleen Stone, and Beth Burns is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
•A short checklist to complete when evaluating an OER.