OER for Remote Learning

What are OER?

Definition of Open Educational Resources (OER)

Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials that are freely accessible for use at no cost and with permissions that encourage adaptation and redistribution. They can include full courses, textbooks, lesson plans, slides, videos, and datasets. The defining feature is that the materials are either in the public domain or released under licenses that permit free use and remixing, enabling educators to tailor content to diverse classroom needs without starting from scratch.

Licensing basics: Creative Commons and reuse rights

Licensing is the gateway to reuse. Creative Commons (CC) licenses provide clear permissions for how content can be used, shared, and modified. Common options include CC BY (attribution required), CC BY-SA (attribution plus share-alike), CC BY-NC (non-commercial), and CC0 (public domain dedication). Understanding these licenses helps teachers decide what can be adapted, translated, or incorporated into course materials while respecting the author’s rights. When in doubt, check the license text, note whether attribution is required, and confirm whether derivatives are allowed and under what conditions.

Why OER matters for remote learning

Equitable access to learning

Remote learning relies on reliable access to instructional materials. OER lowers barriers by providing free, downloadable resources that students can access without a subscription or institutional login. This is especially important in areas with limited connectivity or devices, where offline formats and lightweight files enable continuity of learning. OER also supports inclusive access by offering multilingual options and materials designed with accessibility in mind, such as captions, alt text, and screen-reader compatibility.

Cost reduction for students

Purchasing textbooks and licensed resources is a major expense for many families. OER eliminates or substantially reduces these costs, making education more affordable and reducing dropout risk due to financial constraints. For schools, the shift to OER can free budget to invest in devices, infrastructure, and teacher training, creating a more sustainable remote learning ecosystem.

Localization and accessibility

One of OER’s strengths is the ability to localize content to fit local curricula, languages, and cultural contexts. Educators can translate materials, adjust examples to reflect local realities, and align resources with regional standards. Accessibility is not an afterthought in OER; when designed with accessibility in mind, OER offers features such as scalable fonts, compatible formats, and navigable structures that support learners with disabilities.

How to find OER for remote learning

Repositories and search strategies

Begin with established OER repositories such as OpenStax, MERLOT, OER Commons, Curriki, Wikimedia Commons, and the Open Textbook Library. Use targeted search strategies: filter by license type (e.g., CC BY or CC BY-SA), format (PDF, HTML, video), subject area, grade level, and language. Set up saved searches or alerts for new materials in core subjects to keep a steady stream of adaptable resources. When evaluating search results, consider the resource’s structure, pedagogy, and alignment with your course goals.

Evaluation criteria for quality

Quality assessment should include alignment to standards, currency, and accuracy. Look for clear learning objectives, instructional design that supports remote delivery, accessibility features, and complete metadata (author, license, date, format). Peer reviews, usage statistics, and sample units can signal reliability. Pilot the resource with a small group before broad deployment to gather feedback and adjust as needed.

Licensing and rights management

Creative Commons licenses explained

Creative Commons licenses codify permissions simply. CC BY allows reuse with attribution. CC BY-SA requires derivatives to carry the same license. CC BY-NC restricts use to non-commercial contexts, while CC BY-NC-SA combines non-commercial use with share-alike requirements. CC0 places the work in the public domain, removing most restrictions. Understanding these options helps schools design reuse policies that fit their educational goals while protecting authors’ rights.

Attribution and modification rules

Attribution typically includes author, title, source, license, and the date of publication. When you modify content, you should indicate what changed and, if applicable, offer a new version under the same or an approved license. Translations and adaptations count as derivative works; ensure your derivative carries the correct license and includes attribution for the original material. Preserve licensing terms to maintain a transparent chain of use.

Best practices for reuse

Best practices include verifying the license, preserving attribution, and choosing resources that align with your learning objectives. Keep a record of changes and current licenses for each resource you adapt. Consider accessibility improvements during adaptation and provide context to students about how the resource fits into the unit and assessment plan. Maintain a repository of your open-licensed materials for ongoing reuse and collaboration with colleagues.

Aligning OER with curricula and standards

Standards alignment

Link OER to national or provincial standards to ensure intended learning outcomes are met. Use standards-aligned rubrics and mapping tools to check that each resource supports specific objectives, competencies, and assessment criteria. When resources lack explicit alignment, annotate them with your own alignment notes to help teachers plan instruction and assessments.

Curriculum mapping

Curriculum mapping connects individual materials to unit objectives, pacing guides, and assessment plans. Map OER to sequence the learning journey, identify gaps, and ensure coherence across lessons. Document prerequisites, progression, and assessment alignment so teachers can sequence activities logically and monitor student progress over time.

Localization and adaptation

Localization goes beyond translation. Adapt content to reflect local contexts, examples, and cultural considerations. Involve local teachers, students, and communities in the adaptation process to improve relevance and buy-in. Maintain a clear record of changes, including licensing considerations, so the adapted materials remain compliant and shareable.

Implementing OER in remote classrooms

LMS integration

Integrate OER through your Learning Management System (LMS) to streamline access, tracking, and assessment. Many OERs are compatible with LMS platforms via direct imports, LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) connections, or simple embedding. Use consistent naming conventions and ensure that resources are organized within courses and modules to support student navigation and progress tracking.

Accessibility and offline access

Provide multiple formats to support diverse devices and connectivity. Offer downloadable PDFs, EPUBs, and offline bundles that students can access without constant internet access. Include transcripts for videos, captions for multimedia, and semantic heading structures for screen readers. Test resources with assistive technologies and gather student feedback on accessibility to guide improvements.

Teacher professional development

Invest in ongoing professional development to build licensing literacy, search and curation skills, and the ability to adapt materials for different learning needs. Provide hands-on workshops on evaluating OER quality, aligning resources with standards, and designing assessments around open materials. Encourage teacher collaboration to share lessons learned and develop a shared OER repository.

Quality assurance and evaluation of OER

Currency and accuracy

Regular updates are essential. Establish a review cadence to check for outdated information, broken links, and revised standards. Create a lightweight process for teachers to report inaccuracies and propose replacements or updates. Document version histories to track changes over time and ensure ongoing reliability.

Peer reviews

Peer review processes bring classroom practicality into resource evaluation. Encourage teachers to review resources for instructional fit, clarity, and accessibility. Build communities of practice or peer-review groups that share feedback, pilot materials, and publish reviews to guide others in selection and adaptation.

User feedback

Gather input from both students and teachers through surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews. Use feedback to refine the resource mix, adjust pacing, and address access or comprehension challenges. Treat feedback as a continuous improvement loop that informs future curation and development efforts.

Case studies and best practices

Global examples

Across regions, schools have adopted OER to close gaps in remote learning. Open textbooks have been used to scale science and mathematics instruction in low-resource settings, while open curricula in language arts have supported multilingual classrooms. Case studies highlight the impact of local partnerships, capacity-building, and community involvement in sustaining these efforts.

Lessons learned

Key takeaways include the importance of clear licensing, robust teacher training, and ongoing curation. Sustainable OER programs depend on local ownership, transparent governance, and consistent alignment with curriculum standards. Early pilots should emphasize collaboration, practical workflows, and measurable learning outcomes.

Scaling OER in remote settings

To scale effectively, institutions should invest in shared repositories, standardized metadata, and enabling infrastructure. Develop a national or regional open-education strategy that supports licensing clarity, funding for ongoing teacher professional development, and mechanisms for local adaptation. Build partnerships with libraries, universities, and educational ministries to expand reach and impact.

Trusted Source Insight

Summary of UNESCO guidance on OER and remote learning

UNESCO emphasizes that open licensing, capacity-building, and inclusive access are essential for scaling OER. Policy alignment, robust infrastructure, and teacher training are pivotal to ensuring remote learners benefit from adaptable, localizable resources. https://unesdoc.unesco.org.

Getting started: action plan

30-day quickstart

In the first month, audit current materials to identify what is already open or suitable for open licensing. Catalog licenses, select a pilot course, and curate a starter set of CC-licensed resources. Set up a small OER repository, assign a champion for licensing literacy, and begin a simple teacher training plan. Collect feedback from students and teachers to refine the approach.

90-day implementation plan

Over three months, expand the resource pool, align more courses to standards, and develop adaptation templates for localization. Scale the use of OER across additional subjects, intensify professional development, and implement formal evaluation of impact on learning outcomes. Establish governance for ongoing curation, licensing compliance, and sustainability, ensuring a clear path toward broader adoption.