Open Educational Resources at LCC: How to Get Started on an OER Project

Category I: Adopt Newly Created OER Materials

• Compensation plan: 16 hours at non-instructional rate OR 2 days of 32 day plan OR .5 cr. hr. reassigned time
• Examples:
  • Agree to adopt materials that have been newly created/selected
  • Evaluate materials as you use them; note what needs to be fixed or changed

Category II: Curate and Adopt OER Materials

• Compensation plan: 32 hours at non-instructional rate OR 4 days of 32 day plan OR 1 cr. hr. reassigned time
• Examples:
  • Identify existing OER materials
  • Review materials to make sure they align with course outcomes, rigor, etc.
  • Select and reorganize, merge chapters, etc. for custom fit
  • Adopt selected (and customized) OER materials

Category III: Revise/Remix and/or Create New Supplemental Material

• Compensation plan: 64 hours at non-instructional rate OR 8 days of 32 day plan or 2 cr. hrs. reassigned time
• Examples:
  • Edit existing chapters
  • Add new materials from other sources
  • Remove sections deemed not appropriate
  • Bring together several openly licensed sources
  • Create new supplemental materials to augment adopted OERs, such as test banks, presentations, videos, workbooks, etc.

Category IV: Creation and Development of New OER Materials

• ​​​​​​​Compensation plan: 128 hours at non-instructional rate OR 16 days of 32 day plan OR 4 cr. hrs. reassigned time
• Examples:
  • ​​​​​​​Develop and create the majority of new content for open textbook or primary materials for a course
  • Create accompanying supplemental materials such as test banks, lectures, lab manuals, presentations, videos

Step 1: Discuss the need or desire to use OER with other faculty in your program.

• Consider the costs of current materials and savings to students.
• Do current materials meet all the needs of your course and students? Are you enough supporting materials, etc.?
• Is there anyone who would like to partner with you to do this work?

Step 2: Identify what type of materials are needed.

• Will you be replacing a textbook or something else?
• Do you need interactive activities?
• Do you need instructional materials, such as slideshows, videos, other?
• Do you need assessment materials, or will you keep current assessments?

Step 3: Search for existing OERs.

• Use the search tool developed by our Center for Teaching Excellence. This tool (currently under development) will assist you in harnessing the power of AI to find materials based on the Student Learning Outcomes as well as specific needs for your course, such as interactive activities, slideshows, videos, etc.

Step 4: Evaluate the materials and determine the type and amount of work you will have to do.

• Did you find something that you can adopt with minor adjustments?
• Do you need to combine a couple of different OERs into one book that will work for your course?
• Do you need to create some materials, such as content that is not covered in existing OERs, supplementary materials, quizzes, tests, etc.?
• Do you need to create a whole textbook to meet the needs of our course and your students?

Step 5: Complete the MI ExplOER Certification modules and receive a certificate to demonstrate your OER expertise. 

• MI ExplOER Training

• This self-paced training covers all of the basic knowledge you need for OERs, including copyright, accessibility, Creative Commons licensing, creating and adapting OER, a list of OER resources specific to Michigan, and more!

Step 6: Develop your proposal and discuss it with faculty in your program and your supervisor.

• See the section “Information to Include in Your Proposal” at the end of this document.
• Be sure to estimate the amount of time your work will take, and use the Guidelines for Compensation below.

Consider the following questions to include in your proposal for OER work. Be sure to discuss this work with faculty in your program before submitting a proposal to your supervisor. Be as specific as possible with details in your proposal.

1. Why is this project necessary? What needs are not being met by current materials? Are your current materials too expensive for students? Do students avoid purchasing the materials due to the cost? Is your current textbook outdated?
2. How will it benefit students? Include cost-savings, ability to tailor materials to course learning outcomes, student needs, etc.
3. How do you plan to collaborate with other faculty in your program? Who will you work closely with? Who will review your work? Are others willing to adopt the OER materials?
4. How will you use other available resources, such as Center for Teaching Excellence Open Learning Specialist and OER Faculty Fellow, librarians, eLearning instructional designers, other faculty with more experience with OERs, etc.
5. What training do you need for this work? Consider the format you might use, such as WordPress (create a website), PressBooks (create an online textbook), or Google docs or sites, or another platform, such as OER Commons tool for creating OER, etc.October 8, 2025
6. What is the timeline for completion and adoption of your work?