Creating Context
The following formatting tools are designed to help you create or adapt OER for your own OER textbook or ancillary materials. While there are many ways to create OER, we have selected what we believe are the three best options based on the following OER creation tool criteria:
Each tool or method we have selected scored high on our ACE scale. The higher the score the better that tool performed in that category. We have provided the ACE score for each method. Our three best-practice recommendations are outlined in the tabs below. You will find more information on why we recommend these three methods as well as detailed instructions and guides on how to leverage these tools.
Creating OER materials in Microsoft Word and then converting the Word document to a PDF has distinct advantages, especially in terms of student access. Anyone can access an open PDF from any electronic device, PDFs require minimal internet strength to download, and while an internet connection is required for the initial download, it is not required to continue accessing the document. The Word/PDF method also allows for a moderate amount of stylistic customization, although there are strict accessibility guidelines to adhere too.
One the ACE scale, the Word/PDF method scores as follows:
Despite some drawbacks, Microsoft Word is an excellent option for OER content, especially in terms of access.
The key to making a good OER PDF textbook is understanding how to make your document easy to navigate and accessible in Word, so that once you convert to PDF you have an accessible document for your students. The guide below provides technical information on how to create an OER textbook in Word that will convert to an accessible PDF. The guide also details how to make special features and covers for your textbook so that the finished product is not only accessible but also highly readable and interactive. Last but not least this guide provides users with pre-made assets and style guides you can use to help jumpstart your OER creation in word.
The benefits of using an e-text publishing platform include providing students with a reading experience that is optimized for the web, and accessibility is built into the content editor. For stylish OER e-publishing we recommend Pressbooks. Pressbooks is an open-source content management system designed for creating aesthetic digital books. It is based on WordPress, and can export content in many formats for e-books, webbooks, or print. On our Access scale, Pressbooks scores as follows:
The official Pressbooks user guide outlines everything you need to know to make an OER text in Pressbooks. Adapting other OER Pressbooks for your own use is also possible. For users with PressbooksEDU or the open source Pressbooks, adapting and remixing OER is simple. Users can "clone" or copy any public, openly licensed book on the Pressbooks network to their own network. Watch the brief Pressbooks overview video below to get started.
LibreTexts is a powerful, online platform for all things OER – finding, storing, publishing, creating, and remixing/adapting OER, along with adding interactive elements, a homework system, and more. The platform is organized into libraries by subject discipline and is free to use. LibreTexts is also committed to continuous accessibility improvements.
One the ACE scale, LibreTexts scores as follows:
The resources below are the best to help you get started with LibreTexts:
