Getting to know some of the basic terms related to OER will ground you in the practice.

Attribution

The process by which a content user gives proper credit to the original creator of a work when a portion of that work is reused or adopted outside of its original context. Attribution typically includes a link to the original work and information about the author and license.

Backward design

A model for designing instructional materials where the instructor or designer begins the design process with a focus on the desired results (i.e., the outcome) of instruction. (Source: Learning-Theories.com)

Copyright

A set of intellectual property laws that give the rightsholder of a work (usually the author) exclusive rights over the reproduction, reuse, remixing, display, performance, and redistribution of their work.

Course Learning Outcomes

The final outcomes that an instructor expects their students to gain by the time the students complete a course.

Creative Commons

A set of open licenses that allow creators to clearly mark how others can reuse their work through a set of badge-like components: Attribution, Share-Alike, Non-Commercial, and No Derivatives.

Fair Use

A legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright protected works in certain circumstances.

Licensing

The process by which a rightsholder (usually the creator of a work) dictates that others can reuse their work in specific ways.

Open educational resources

Open educational resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials that have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation, and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions. Works in the public domain or other unrestricted terms of use may also be defined as OER.

Open pedagogy

A set of pedagogical practices that include engaging students in content creation and making learning accessible to all.

Open license

A copyright license which grants permission for all users to access, reuse, and redistribute a work with few or no restrictions.

Public Domain

A work that is not covered under copyright law, whose copyright has expired, or which has been dedicated to the public domain by its rightsholder is said to be in the public domain.

TOU

TOU stands for "Terms of Use", which are the rules, specifications, and requirements for the use of a product or service, commonly found on websites.

Z-course

An officially approved YC OER course, where "Z" stands for "zero textbook cost". This term is used by many institutions.

Content from "OER Starter Kit" by Abbey K. Elder is licensed under CC BY 4.0