Which description correctly defines open educational resources (OER)?

Which description correctly defines open educational resources (OER)?

• A. A fixed textbook collection.
• B. Proprietary software licenses.
• C. Free and openly licensed educational materials that can be used for teaching, learning, and research.
• D. A password-protected database.

Answer: (C)

Open educational resources are free and openly licensed materials that can be used for teaching, learning, and research. The defining part is the open license that lets anyone read, reuse, adapt, and share the resources without barriers, often with only simple attribution requirements. This openness enables teachers to tailor content to their course, students to access materials without paywalls, and researchers to build on existing work. OER can include textbooks, lesson plans, videos, assessments, and more. In contrast, a fixed textbook collection is typically paid or restricted, proprietary software licenses limit how the materials can be used, and a password-protected database isn’t openly accessible. The combination of free access and permissive licensing is what makes the description a perfect fit for open educational resources.

Open educational resources are free and openly licensed materials that can be used for teaching, learning, and research. The defining part is the open license that lets anyone read, reuse, adapt, and share the resources without barriers, often with only simple attribution requirements. This openness enables teachers to tailor content to their course, students to access materials without paywalls, and researchers to build on existing work. OER can include textbooks, lesson plans, videos, assessments, and more. In contrast, a fixed textbook collection is typically paid or restricted, proprietary software licenses limit how the materials can be used, and a password-protected database isn’t openly accessible. The combination of free access and permissive licensing is what makes the description a perfect fit for open educational resources.