What are open educational resources?

Open educational resources are teaching, learning and research materials that can be accessed without cost and reused under defined terms because they are openly licensed or in the public domain.

What openness enables

A textbook, worksheet, video or lesson plan can be an open resource; free viewing alone does not grant permission to adapt it. Permissions for copying, translating, modifying and redistributing must be checked in the licence. Teachers can adapt materials to local examples, translate them and share them under the licence terms. Others can then contribute improvements. Authors, licences and changes should be clearly attributed.

Quality and access

An open licence does not automatically make material accurate or current. Scientific accuracy, age suitability, language, accessibility and source reliability need review before teaching. Downloadable formats can help learners with poor connectivity. UNESCO describes open educational resources as a route to more equitable access and contextual adaptation of knowledge.