Open Educational Resources (OER) are used across the curriculum, by students, faculty, and administrators, and can be found in a variety of places – in repositories, in the Shatford Library's collections, on Canvas, and online. Unlike copyrighted material, OER are materials that are published using open licenses that give users up-front permission to do things like reprint, share, perform, revise, and curate parts of a resource into new collections without having to obtain the author’s permission in advance. Importantly, because of their open licenses, OER are free!

Different groups and organizations at PCC utilize and promote OER use from various vantage points. The subsections below provide information and links related to: finding OER; adapting, creating, licensing, and sharing OER; the benefits of using OER; making a class Zero-Textbook-Cost (ZTC) by using OER; and exploring OER's connection to open pedagogy.

OER Coordinator

PCC’s Zero Textbook Cost page includes quick links to find and advocate for OER. It's a great place to send students for more information on finding ZTC classes, earning ZTC degrees, and printing OER on campus.

Faculty needing more information on all facets of OER creation, adaptation, licensing, and sharing can find information, links, videos, and more on the PCC OER & ZTC Canvas. Information on ZTC grant funding and the OER Committee's agenda and meeting minutes can also be found here.

If you have questions or need a guide, faculty are encouraged to contact PCC's OER Coordinator, Denise M. Johnson, at djohnson163@pasadena.edu.

Library Support for ZTC Courses

To reduce financial barriers imposed by costly textbooks and course materials, PCC Librarians can assist fellow faculty in creating and maintaining Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) courses by locating unlimited-user eBooks and other online sources in the library's collection. The library's ZTC Support page details how PCC Library supports ZTC efforts.

If you're interested in using Library-licensed eBooks, streaming videos, and articles to create ZTC courses, please contact PCC Librarians by emailing librarian@pasadena.edu.

Distance Education and OER

The Distance Education Course Development Guide includes an Open Educational Resources page with links to repositories, free online book collections, and openly licensed multimedia sites.

If you're looking for help developing an online ZTC class or using and adapting OER on Canvas, contact Distance Education at pcconline@pasadena.edu.

Academic Senate for California Community Colleges OER Initiative

The ASCCC OERI seeks to expand the availability and adoption of high-quality OER. They coordinate various events and resources.