# A Basic Guide to Open Educational Resources/TOC

Contents
| Acknowledgements | Acknowledgements | 1 |
| Overview of the Guide | Overview of the Guide | 3 |
| A Basic Guide to Open Educational Resources: Frequently asked questions | A Basic Guide to Open Educational Resources: Frequently asked questions | 5 |
| | What are Open Educational Resources (OER)? | 5 |
| | Is OER the same as e-learning? | 5 |
| | Is OER the same as open learning/open education? | 6 |
| | Is OER related to the concept of resource-based learning? | 7 |
| | How open is an open licence? | 8 |
| | What is the difference between OER and open access publishing? | 9 |
| | Shouldn't I worry about 'giving away' my intellectual property? | 9 |
| | Who will guarantee the quality of OER? | 12 |
| | How can education benefit by harnessing OER? | 13 |
| | Is OER really free? | 14 |
| | Does use of OER preclude use of commercial content? | 16 |
| | What policy changes are needed for institutions to make more effective use of OER? | 16 |
| | What are the best ways to build capacity in OER? | 17 |
| | Where do I find OER? | 18 |
| | How can I share my OER with others? | 19 |
| | How much can I change OER for my own purposes? | 20 |
| Making the Case for Open Educational Resources | Making the Case for Open Educational Resources | 23 |
| | Introduction | 23 |
| | Defining the concept | 24 |
| | The implications for educational planners and decision-makers | 39 |
| | Conclusion | 44 |
| | References | 45 |
| Appendix One: Overview of Open Licences | Appendix One: Overview of Open Licences | 47 |
| | Introduction | 47 |
| | Creative Commons Licences | 48 |
| | Appendix References | 52 |
| Appendix Two: The Components of a Well-Functioning Distance Education system | Appendix Two: The Components of a Well-Functioning Distance Education system | 53 |
| | The Components | 53 |
| | The Rationale for Use of Distance Education Methods | 55 |
| Appendix Three: Technology Applications | Appendix Three: Technology Applications | 57 ​ |
| Appendix Four: Open Source Software Applications in Education | Appendix Four: Open Source Software Applications in Education | 61 |
| | References | 64 |
| Appendix Five: Mapping the OER Terrain Online | Appendix Five: Mapping the OER Terrain Online | 65 |
| | Introduction | 65 |
| | OCW OER Repositories | 65 |
| | University OCW Initiatives | 70 |
| | Subject-Specific OCW OER | 74 |
| | Content Creation Initiatives | 78 |
| | Open Schooling Initiatives | 81 |
| | OCW OER Search | 84 |
| | Conclusion | 85 |
| Appendix Six: A Catalogue of OER-Related Websites | Appendix Six: A Catalogue of OER-Related Websites | 87 |
| | OCW OER Repositories | 88 |
| | Open Schooling Initiatives | 92 |
| | OCW OER Search | 93 |
| | University OCW Initiatives | 95 |
| | Subject-Specific OCW-OER | 104 |
| | OER Tools | 109 |
| | Other OER Sources | 113 |
| Appendix Seven: Some OER Policy Issues in Distance Education | Appendix Seven: Some OER Policy Issues in Distance Education | 115 |
| Appendix Eight: OER Policy Review Process | Appendix Eight: OER Policy Review Process | 123 |
| Appendix Nine: Skills Requirements for Work in Open Educational Resources | Appendix Nine: Skills Requirements for Work in Open Educational Resources | 131 |