15 Integrating OER to Canvas Webcourse

Integrating OER into Canvas Webcourse

Open Educational Resources (OER) offer educators the flexibility to customize course materials while reducing costs for students. This chapter provides a step-by-step guide to adding OER to your Canvas Webcourse, including strategies for linking and embedding content, along with troubleshooting common issues.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding OER to Canvas

  • Identify and Evaluate OER Materials: The first step in integrating OER into your course is locating high-quality, openly licensed resources. OERs are available at no cost and can be adapted to meet your specific teaching needs. Resources like Creative Commons and the Affordable Learning Exchange are great starting points for finding materials that align with your course objectives.
  • Adopt, Adapt, Remix or Create OER: Once you’ve found relevant OERs, decide whether to use them as-is (adopt) or modify them (adapt). For example, Dr. Jacquelyn Meshelemiah, an Associate Professor in the College of Social Work, reimagined her Human Trafficking course materials with a Pressbook. By adapting the OER, she aligned the content with her course goals and ensured it was more accessible and relevant to students, saving them the cost of expensive textbooks. If the OER doesn’t perfectly fit your course needs, you can adapt it by revising content, adding missing topics, or rearranging sections to match your course structure. Check the licensing of the OER to ensure you are allowed to modify the content.

Adapt Adopt Remix or Create OER

University of Melbourne. (n.d.). Adopt, adapt, share [Image]. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://library.unimelb.edu.au/open-scholarship/adopt-adapt-share
  • Linking OER in Canvas: To incorporate OER from external websites, add them as links in Canvas Modules. Go to the relevant Module, click the “+” button, and select “External URL.” Provide a descriptive name for the link (e.g., “Week 3 Reading: Introduction to Human Trafficking”), making it clear what students will access. Ensure the link opens in a new tab so students remain in your course environment.

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  • Embedding OER Content: If you want students to interact with OER content directly within Canvas, many resources allow you to embed videos, documents, and interactive media. In Canvas’s Rich Content Editor, paste the embed code from the OER source into a Page, Discussion, or Assignment. This method keeps students engaged without requiring them to leave the Canvas platform.

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  • Upload OER Files: For downloadable resources like textbooks or slide decks, you can upload these directly into Canvas through the Files section. After uploading, link the files within Modules or Pages to ensure easy access. Label files clearly (e.g., “Chapter 1: Overview of Human Rights Violations”) to guide students through the materials.

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  • Accessibility Considerations: When integrating OER, ensure all content is accessible to all students. This means providing alternative text for images, captions for videos, and using a layout that accommodates screen readers. Adapting OER materials can also allow you to meet accessibility guidelines more easily than traditional, proprietary resources. Use UDOIT or Accessibility Checker [add link]. Add best practices.

Incorporating OER: 10 Strategies for Enhancing Engagement

Strategy 1: Search for High-Quality OERs: Utilize specialized OER search engines to find resources that align with your course content. Tools like OER Commons offer advanced search features that help narrow down results, saving time and ensuring the selection of the most relevant materials.

Strategy 2: Integrate OERs into Lectures: Enhance your PowerPoint presentations by incorporating Creative Commons-licensed images and multimedia elements. Adding videos, such as TedTalks related to your lecture topic, provides multiple perspectives and formats, which can improve retention and engagement.

Strategy 3: Utilize Interactive OERs: Engage students with OERs that feature interactive elements like videos, audio, activities, and practice quizzes. Platforms such as Carnegie Mellon University’s Open Learning Initiative offer interactive content that can complement traditional textbooks and enrich the learning experience.

Strategy 4: Remix OERs: Customize existing OERs to better fit your course needs by rearranging content, adding new material, or incorporating multimedia. OER Commons provides tools for educators to remix resources, enhancing their relevance and effectiveness.

Strategy 5: Choose Highly Rated OERs: Look for OERs that have received positive ratings and reviews from other educators. This can streamline your search for high-quality resources and ensure the inclusion of well-regarded materials in your course.

Strategy 6: Employ a Variety of OER Formats: To cater to different learning styles, use a mix of OERs, including texts, videos, diagrams, and interactive activities. Diversifying the types of OERs in your course can accommodate various preferences and improve overall engagement.

Strategy 7: Encourage Collaborative Creation of OERs: Have students collaborate using tools like OneDrive to create study guides, rubrics, or even quizzes. These student-generated materials can be shared on OER platforms, providing valuable resources for peers and reinforcing their own learning.

Strategy 8: Participate in Peer Review of OER Textbooks Overview: Contribute to the improvement of OER materials by peer-reviewing textbooks available through the Open Textbook Library. Alternatively, use the peer-review process as a classroom activity to engage students in evaluating and enhancing OER resources.

Strategy 9: Involve Students in OER Decisions Overview: Solicit student feedback on OER materials to understand their preferences and needs. Involving students in the selection of OERs can make the materials more relevant and impactful, addressing any gaps in the resources they use.

Strategy 10: Create and Share Your Own OER Overview: Develop custom OERs tailored to your course using platforms like Xerte Online Toolkits. Share these resources freely to contribute to the educational community and provide materials that perfectly fit your teaching objectives.

APA Citation: Harris, K. (2024). Incorporating OER: 10 strategies for engaging learners with open educational resources. In MavLearn. Retrieved from https://mlpp.pressbooks.pub/mavlearn/chapter/10-strategies-for-engaging-learners-with-open-educational-resources/

References

Teaching and Learning Resource Center Ohio State University. (n.d.). Customizing your course with open educational resources. https://teaching.resources.osu.edu/teaching-topics/customizing-your-course-open

License

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UCF Open Educational Resources (OER) Starter Guide Copyright © by Emily Franklin; Charlotte Jones-Roberts; Dr. Denise Lowe; and Susan Spraker is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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