Open Educational Resources (OER) for Affordable Learning at CNC

Open Education is a movement focused on making learning materials and resources available to everyone for free.

It removes obstacles like costs, legal issues, and technical barriers, allowing teachers and students to use, share, and change these materials as needed. This approach encourages collaboration and adaptability in learning. By using the Internet, Open Education makes it easier and less expensive for people all over the world to access high-quality educational resources, regardless of location, income, and institutional affiliation.

"The understanding of and opportunities for use of Open Educational Resources" by Javiera Atenas, Martin Ebner, Ulf-Daniel Ehlers, Fabio Nascimbeni, and Sandra Schön is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that are free or low-cost for everyone to use. With textbook prices going up, OER provides a great alternative that can help students save a lot of money. By using free or low-cost textbooks and other resources, students can cut their expenses by hundreds of dollars each semester, making The College of New Caledonia more affordable and accessible.

For Faculty: 

• Open education resources offers flexibility in how courses are taught.
• Materials can be customized to fit specific course objectives.
• Easily updated to include new knowledge and insights.
• Promote a culture of sharing and collaboration among educators. 
• Enhances the learning experiences for students. 

For Students:

• Open education resources help break down barriers and increases access to education.
• Offers low-cost or free materials, reducing financial burdens. 

This guides will provide tips on how to integrate open education resources into your curriculum to promote equity in education. We hope this guide inspires you to explore open education resources and take advantage of opportunities for a more affordable and flexile education!