Open educational resources (OER) are free teaching materials that are licensed to allow for revision and reuse. They can be fully self-contained textbooks, videos, quizzes, learning modules, courseware, and more. The use of OER can improve student engagement and success; provide immediate, equitable, and perpetual access to resources; save money for students; and empower educators to maximize flexible, high-quality learning materials in individualized curricula. The Iowa State University Library supports educators in identifying, using, customizing, creating, and publishing OER.
Iowa State University's Abbey Elder is a founding member of the Iowa Open Education Action Team, a group working to support the use of OER across the state of Iowa.
Iowa State University is a proud member of the Open Education Network, an international organization of higher education institutions working together to advance the creation and use of open textbooks.