Sometimes you will find OER that might need to be adapted to fit specific needs and requirements for your classroom. Adapting OER means making changes to already existing open content (Revise and Remix). It can be as basic as editing the content so as to customize it to your needs (Revise) or finding other OER content that you can combine and integrate with the original OER content (Remix).
Take a look to see if someone else has created a similar, complete OER course or textbook. If you can't find a single OER to adapt for your course, focus on your learning objectives and try searching for several OER you can remix.
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Browse repositories and more
Browse our listing of OER courses, repositories, multimedia, textbooks, articles and more.
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Google Advanced Search
Find existing open resources for instructional use by using Advanced Search techniques.
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Browse Tomlinson Library
Look for library materials like ebooks, articles and streaming videos to fill in gaps. Visit the Tomlinson Library's website to search our collection.
Determine adaptation needs
Before adapting an OER, it helps to consider how you would need to modify it. Do you need to change illustrations, graphs or charts? How much content needs to be changed? Do you have access to the technology required to edit the OER? Learn more about basic considerations.
Adaptation process
If you want to make adaptations to an open textbook, check out this five-step guide: Modifying an Open Textbook: What You Need to Know. Steps in this guide include the following:
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Check the license
Confirm that the open textbook you want to adapt has a license that allows modification and redistribution on the scale you need.
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Identify format
Identify the format of the open textbook you would like to modify. Format options include PDF, EPUB, MOBI, HTML, PressBooks, OpenStax and more.
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Assess editability
Determine if editing the current OER format is easy or if it might require conversion to other formats.
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Determine access
Decide where and in what format students can access your revised OER.
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Organize your resources
Use this Excel spreadsheet to help you keep track of your open resources and determine how integrate them into your classroom.
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Licensing and attribution
Integrate attribution by using Creative Commons License(s) on your adapted work.
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Submit to a repository
Consider adding your adapted open resource to a library or repository like Referatory, OpenStax, or the Open Textbook Network so others can find and use your adapted work.
Use and share OER
Want more advice on adapting and modifying OER?
Browse our resources for more information.