This is a special guest blog post by Amanda Silliman, who teaches English at Leeward CC.
What have you learned so far in the Go Open, Go Free workshop?
Learning about OER this semester has been very enlightening. I learned about the databases where OER are uploaded, and that Open Education Resources can be textbooks, photos, and videos. Just like when one examines an article for its usability and its credibility, the same process applies to OER materials. There is a twelve question checklist that instructors can use to assess the material that they find in OER databases in order to ensure that the open material is reliable for college students to use.
Additionally, I learned all about licensing for materials marked as available in Creative Commons. It was not something I had originally considered when I began the workshop, but now I am glad that I had the opportunity to learn more about it and how it can affect the materials I use should I decide to put together my own OER material to share.