Open Educational Resources (OER)

Welcome to Canisius University's Open Educationa Reousrces (OER) Website: An alternative to traditional texts and course materials.

Several months ago, ConnectNY joined the University of Minnesota's Open Education Network.

As a result of this consortium-led project, CNY has reached out to member institutions to assist with raising awareness of OER on their campuses.

This site will provide faculty, students, and administrators with resources that will begin the process of raising awareness on our campus. There is currently some concern among students and faculty regarding the high cost of text books and course materials, and this initiative can reduce the cost of instructional materials for all students through the use of high-quality Open Educational Resources.

"Education should not be a privilege reserved for only those who can afford it, but a right for all who decide to pursue it!" (Pace University Library)

Some reasons to consider adopting OER instructional materials:

According to the Freeing the Textbook: Educational Resources in U.S. Higher Education (2018) Survey: 

• 46 percent of faculty are currently familiar with OER.
• 13 percent of Instructors have required OER in at least one course. 
• Textbooks and learning materials cost students approximately $1,200 per year.
• According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, 7 in 10 students didn't purchase a textbook because it was too expensive. 
• One in five college students has skipped or deferred a class due to the price of the required learning resources.

Contact Us

If you are interested in learning more aoubt adopting or creating OER for your course(s), or you have general questions, the OER team in the Library can assist you and/or your department. Please contact Pat Coward, at cowardp@canisius.edu for more information.

This guide has been adapted from Pace University Library