🌐Overview

Don't Reinvent the Wheel. An OER project should always begin by identifying resources that can be remixed. This will save time and prevent writers from "reinventing the wheel". In some cases instructors may find a resource that can be adopted without any additional work. Or they may find a resources that can be adapted to meet their needs. Alternatively, they may find OER that have individual pieces that can be remixed into a new resource for their course.

📖 Table of Contents

Tracking Resources
Finding Resources
Places to Search
- Searching for OER Instructional Video: MOM
- Searching for OER Instructional Video: LibreTexts

✔️ Tracking Resources

When searching for resources, be sure to use a tracking sheet to help identify where the resources were found and how they can be used. This Asset Organization Spreadsheet Template can be used for tracking.

The Sample Sheet shows how to use the template; you may want to remove columns that don't seem helpful for your work. The most important elements are: the license and link to the found resources.The next page of this module will discuss evaluating these resources.

In addition to keeping a tracking list of resources, saving them in a way that is easily discoverable is helpful. One strategy to help with this is to use a bookmarking apps, such as Raindrop.io, or a variety of similar tools.

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✔️ Finding Resources

When searching for OER consider looking for both resources that align to the entire course and those that may have specific topics that align to individual course outcomes. The Course Outline of Record or Course Syllabus can be helpful for identifying specific topics to search for - especially if you are conducting a search for someone else. Searching for key words that relate to individual course topics will help you identify more resources that can be used.

While you, or a librarian, can conduct an initial search for resources, it is essential that faculty gain these skills for themselves. Providing a training on Searching for OER will help ensure that creators can find specific resources they need as they work through the project. The initial search is just a starting point, being able to find OER for specific topics during the writing process can save time and help authors think through ways to present information.

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🐦‍⬛ Wisdom: Embrace the wisdom of Collect all the shiny things, even if you don't know what you'll do with them.

For the first search list all the resources you find, even if the only have a small piece you might use or if you aren't sure about them. The pruning stage will happen next but you don't want to realize there you found a resource...somewhere....that might have a piece you need.

✔️ Places to Search

There are many places to find OER. This is both a benefit (because there are so many resources) and a challenge (because it can be difficult to know where to begin searching. A few of the most effective resources are

ASCCC OERI Resource Repository
- This page provides links to OER Collections for the California Community Colleges, organized by discipline, general education requirements, Transfer Model Curricula, and C-ID.
ASCCC OERI Resources by discipline
- In order to facilitate faculty consideration of OER and the development of OER/ZTC degree pathways, the ASCCC OERI has worked with the ASCCC OERI Discipline Leads to provide the curated lists of resources for individual disciplines.
For images: ASCCC OERI Image Sources List
LibreTexts Commons
- The LibreText Commons hosts curated Open Educational Resources from all 16 libraries in the LibreVerse in one convenient location.
The Mason OER Metafinder
- Real-time federated search for OER content across many repositories and referatories.
Open Textbook Library
Milne Open Textbooks
OER Commons

📌 Searching for OER Instructional Video: MOM

This 4-minute video introduces how to search for resources using the Mason OER Metafinder

📌 Searching for OER Instructional Video: LibreTexts

This 7-minute video introduces how to search for resources in LibreTexts

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