Below are the referatories/repositories ranked in order of preference to begin your search. This is not an exhaustive list, but intended to narrow the options and to streamline the workflow.

1. VIVA Open : the recommended referatory to begin OER searching. A large number of OER have already been mapped to VCCS transfer courses, reviewed by Virginia faculty, and consolidated in collections on the VCCS Transfer Course Mapping Hub. Additionally, course alignment workflows are more streamlined in VIVA Open and batch processing of course aligned OER is possible through the VIVA Open Administrator.

2. OER Commons : is ranked second since it is a comprehensive OER aggregator. What’s more, VIVA is able to batch import OER from OER Commons, which facilitates a streamlined workflow. Please note, OER Commons also aggregates K-12 OER. Refine your search by Education Level to narrow your results to content appropriate to higher education. ISKME also maintains an Open Textbooks hub that is designed for higher education.

3. OASIS

4. Open Textbook Library

5. Merlot (ISBN search may be helpful, especially for introductory courses)

6. Mason OER Metafinder: Real-time federated search for OER content that also includes a deeper search for open access books and public domain resources.

Based on your review of available course descriptions associated with the courses, or your working knowledge of teaching styles, or learning objectives within your academic community, you may wish to search for a combination of material types. Material types are defined within the VIVA Open framework.

VIVA Open Materials Types (also applicable on OER Commons)

Activity/Lab: Supplemental, student-facing resource requiring students to provide answers or feedback based on taking specified steps.

Assessment: Student-facing question or prompt that measures understanding of a topic or idea.

Case Study: When actually occurring events or scenarios are used to illustrate scientific or academic principles.

Data Set: A collection of related sets of data.

Diagram/Illustration: Visual media, including but not limited to pictures, graphics, diagrams, figures, illustrations, charts, and maps.

Full Course: A series of units and lessons used to teach the skills and knowledge required by its curriculum.

Game: A game designed with an educational purpose.

Homework/Assignment: An activity engaged in by the learner for the purpose of acquiring certain skills, concepts, or knowledge, whether guided by an instructor or not.

Interactive: A visual tool in which students can move items around, enter variables, and/or answer questions.

Lecture: Recording or transcript of an educational speech.

Lecture Notes: Instructor-created notes to support student understanding of lectures.

Lesson: Lessons organize content within a course, and may cover one or more concepts or topics. Typically used in K-12 education.

Lesson Plan: A teacher-facing description of a course of instruction.

Module: Modules organize content within a course; may cover one or more concepts or topics. Typically used in higher education. In K-12 may be used to organize presentations of several units.

Primary Source: Original document or object created at the time of the period of time being studied, i.e. newspaper article or government document.

Reading: The body of a printed work, to include reading passages.

Simulation: Imitation of a physical process over time.

Student Guide: A student-facing supplement to a course that provides additional content and tutorial instruction for a specific course or topic.

Syllabus: An outline of the contents and requirements of a course.

Teaching/Learning Strategy: Method or strategy to facilitate effective teaching and learning.

Textbook: A book used in the study of an academic or scientific subject.

Unit of Study: A plan of instruction on a particular concept; it contains multiple lessons that are related.

This section addresses the process of evaluating OER. While suitability to the course is an essential component of course alignment OER curation, it is also important to bring attention to other important aspects such as clarity, accuracy, comprehensiveness, cultural relevance, adaptability, and accessibility. An OER does not necessarily need to meet all of these areas to have value and some curator judgment will be necessary. However, beware of OER that fails to address multiple aspects of this evaluation criteria.

A worksheet with the following evaluation criteria has been created. To create an editable copy, select File > Make a Copy in the worksheet.

Clarity, Comprehensibility, and Readability

• The content, including any instructions and exercises, is clear and comprehensible to students at their level.

• The content is consistent with its language and formatting (e.g. key terms are bold).

• The content is well-organized in terms of sequencing and flow (eg. chapter and sections headings are presented consistently throughout the OER).

Content and Technical Accuracy

• The content is accurate based on my understanding of the course. Note that the extent to which an OER can be assessed for content accuracy will be dependent on how well the curator understands the subject matter. In all cases, use tools such as the syllabus and/or commercial textbooks to assist with this evaluation.

• There are few to no factual, grammatical, or typographical errors present in the material.

• The content’s interface is navigable for students.

Adaptability and Modularity

• The resource is available in a file format which allows for adaptations, modifications, rearrangements, and updates as necessary.

• The resource can be easily divided into modules, or sections, which can be used or rearranged out of their original order.

• The content is available under an open license which allows for modifications.

Appropriateness and Fit

• The content is presented at a reading level appropriate to the level of the students.

• The content aligns fairly well with the course learning objectives and topics.

• The content is available at a level appropriate for use in the course.

Representation and Diversity

• The illustrations and photographs reflect diverse peoples and the context of the depiction does not perpetuate stereotypes.

• Example names with particular ethnic or origin associations are portrayed properly and avoid negative comparisons or stereotypes associated with particular national origins or ethnicities.

• The resource presents diverse contexts and all examples are comprehensible by everyone.

• The correct replacement or re-framing of outmoded or incorrect terminology is presented.

• Contributors or researchers referenced in the resource come from diverse backgrounds.

Accessibility

Use the Checklist for Accessibility to conduct a light-weight audit of the resource itself. Note that this does not serve as a full accessibility audit and that you may want to invite accessibility specialists within your institution to review content.

A worksheet with the Checklist for Accessibility criteria has been created. To create an editable copy, select File > Make a Copy in the worksheet.