Open Educational Resources: sharing knowledge and removing barriers

What are Open Educational Resources?

Open Educational Resources are educational materials that are freely available for reuse and adaptation, usually through an open licence such as a Creative Commons (CC) licence. They can include:

• Lecture slides
• Whole course Plans
• Textbooks and study guides
• Assessment materials and worksheets

Unlike traditionally copyrighted materials, OERs can be freely accessed, modified and shared, provided that the original author is credited and the licence details are included.

This allows educators to build on existing work rather than starting from scratch.

OERs also provide opportunities to move beyond traditional publishing models, which have long been shaped with a bias towards the Global North. By incorporating a wider range of perspectives, including those of under-represented and marginalised authors, OERs can contribute to a more diverse and inclusive curriculum. This aligns closely with the work undertaken at UWE in recent years to decolonise our reading lists and library collections.

Why use OERs?

There are many benefits to incorporating OERs into teaching and learning.

Supporting equity in student access

Open resources can help reduce barriers to learning by providing unrestricted access to course materials for all users. Unlike content available through traditional journal subscriptions, open resources can be accessed before students enrol and after they graduate, without the need for a UWE email account. This can also be beneficial when access cannot be negotiated through conventional subscription agreements. For example, some databases cannot be made available to partner institutions or users outside the UK, whereas OERs can be accessed regardless of location.

OERs can also support accessibility as they can be downloaded, adapted and reformatted to meet different learner needs. While OERs offer many benefits, there is no consistent standard for accessibility across these resources. As a result, accessibility should be a key consideration when reviewing OERs for inclusion on reading lists, to ensure that all students can engage with the content effectively.

Saving time and money

Many high-quality OERs already exist and can often be adapted to suit different contexts, such as incorporating a UK-specific perspective or reflecting UWE priorities. While identifying and reviewing resources requires an investment of time, reusing existing materials is often quicker and less labour-intensive than creating new content. In the long-term, they can help save effort, while also reducing costs on commercial textbooks and other licensed content.

Encouraging innovation and collaboration

Open practices encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing between educators. We can learn from colleagues outside of our institution, adopting (and potentially adapting) resources that have already been tested.

UWE is part of a working group developing a UK and Ireland collection within the Open Textbook Library. The collection highlights UK-relevant open textbooks already in use on higher education reading lists and includes resources evaluated by librarians before inclusion.

Reflecting our students’ experiences and backgrounds

OERs support UWE’s core values of equity, diversity and inclusivity. Helping our students see themselves represented in course materials can improve their sense of engagement and belonging. Research has suggested that OERs can improve student performance¹ and may also enhance the wider student experience and increase motivation to learn².

Getting started with OERs

If you’re new to open resources, a good first step is to explore existing resources and consider where they might support your teaching. You don’t need to create your own OER immediately! Consider:

• Which learning materials students use most frequently
• Whether openly licensed alternatives already exist
• How OERs could improve accessibility
• Whether there are opportunities to collaborate across subject areas

Join the UWE Bristol OER Community of Practice

To support all staff interested in OERs, the Discovery and Resourcing Team has created the OER Community of Practice. CoP members can:

• Hear about workshops
• Access practical guidance and resources
• Share ideas, ask questions
• Contribute case studies and examples of good practice

In the first phase, the community aims to raise awareness of OERs and support adoption across UWE. Future phases will explore resource hosting and creation.

Learn more

We have recently run introductory workshops designed to help colleagues understand the basics of OERs. A recorded version of this workshop is available to view on Panopto (UWE login required).

To join the community on Teams, use the join code d930tue or contact the Discovery and Resourcing Team on library.content@uwe.ac.uk to be added.

How are you using Open Educational Resources?

Have you added an OER to a Reading List, adapted an existing OER, or considered creating an openly licensed resource? We’d love to hear about your experiences.

References

• Colvard, N.B., Watson, C.E. and Park, H. (2018) ‘The impact of Open Educational Resources on various student success metrics’, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 30(2), pp. 262–276. Available at: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1184998  (Accessed: 27 July 2026).
• Farrow, R., Pitt, R., de los Arcos, B., Perryman, L.-A., Weller, M. and McAndrew, P. (2015), Impact of OER on teaching and learning. Br J Educ Technol, 46: 972-976. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12310 (Accessed: 27 July 2026).
• Link to Decolonising your library