Open Education at UTA

Communicating About OER with Your Students

If you've adopted OER in your courses, it's important to clearly communicate this to students as early as possible. Below is sample language you may include in your syllabus, which you are free to reuse and revise without attribution. It can be helpful to spend a few minutes on the first day of class discussing course materials and the options students have in accessing the required resources.

Sample Syllabus Language for OER Published by Mavs Open Press

Your textbook for this class is an open educational resource (OER), meaning it is available for free online. You can access the web version of the text from the book's landing page [link text] or the Mavs Open Press catalog home. Please note that you do not have to login. You may visit the book’s landing page to download the text for free in the format that works best for you (including PDF, MOBI, and EPUB). The OER is openly licensed and DRM-free, so you may also print individual chapters or the entire text without restrictions. If you prefer, you may opt to purchase a professionally bound print version at a low cost from the UTA Bookstore or a print-on-demand vendor, such as Lulu.com or PrintMe1.com.

Students like you can be critical advocates to encourage the mainstream use of OER in place of high-cost, commercial course materials. Learn about how you can make a difference on the Open for UTA Students guide and consider sharing how use of free and open educational resources impacted you by submitting a Textbook Hero nomination.

Sample Syllabus Language for Resources in Development

Your textbook for this class is available for free online. You can access the web version of the text from the book's landing page [link text]. Please note that you do not have to login. You may visit the book’s landing page to download the text for free in the format that works best for you (including PDF, MOBI, and EPUB). You may also print individual chapters or the entire text without restrictions. Additional information about navigating Mavs Open Press publications is available online.

Please note that this text is currently being developed and/or in a pilot period. There may be updates throughout the semester as we continue adding and editing content, testing for accessibility, and incorporating feedback from students and beta testers. If you need an accessibility accommodation or have questions about the use of this text, please contact the UTA Libraries' OER Department at pressbooks@uta.edu.

Following the pilot period, this resource will be published as an open educational resource (OER), meaning faculty and students everyone will be able to download and use the book for free. Students like you can be critical advocates to encourage the mainstream use of OER in place of high-cost, commercial course materials. Learn about how you can make a difference on the Open for UTA Students guide and consider sharing how use of free and open educational resources impacted you by submitting a Textbook Hero nomination.

Sample Syllabus Language for Other OER

Your textbook for this class is an open educational resource (OER), meaning it is available for free online. You can access the web version of the text from the book's homepage [link text]. [Include note about access options, formats, and any access restrictions students should be aware.] You may also print individual chapters or the entire text without restrictions. Optional print copies may be available for purchase from the UTA Bookstore, Amazon, or other vendors. Alternatively, OER can be purchased from print-on-demand vendors, such as Lulu.com or PrintMe1.com.

Students like you can be critical advocates to encourage the mainstream use of OER in place of high-cost, commercial course materials. Learn about how you can make a difference on the Open for UTA Students guide and consider sharing how use of free and open educational resources impacted you by submitting a Textbook Hero nomination.