OER Tools: Documentation for Instructors

A working group from Iowa OER has made a list of tools used for creating or working with OER, based on the OEN's Open Pedagogy tool list. This includes software, apps, etc broken into use categories, with an index of documentation/tutorials on their use. The tools are also labelled to show if they are free/paid/freemium, and whether they are open or proprietary. Except where otherwise noted, Open Pedagogy Learning Circle Tools Documentation is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License by The Open Education Network. This version was adapted for a broader audience by the Iowa Open Education Action Team.

Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy

Authors: Iowa Open Education Action Team (Iowa OER), The Open Education Network

Blackout poetry - digital literacy in creative ways

Digital literacy is more than finding articles or being able to use Powerpoint - it's a flexible engagement within the digital world. This workshop uses poetry as an engagement lens on mindsets, learning, creativity and literacies. Developed as part of CAUL's Digital Dexterity launch program in 2019, this blackout poetry resource provides you with workshop slides, workshop plan and an instructional handout. 

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson Plan

Author: Kat Cain

23 Things for Digital Knowledge

23 Things is a suite of 23 self-paced online modules that cover a range of topics from video editing to basic coding. Each module or 'thing' consists of information, interactive activities, and invitations to try out various open and free software applications and technologies. The modules have been created using H5P and can be downloaded individually as a single H5P file, modified and re-used under a CC-BY-SA licence - simply click on the 'reuse' link at the bottom of each module. The content was created by Curtin University students as part of a 'students as partners' project.

Material Type: Full Course, Interactive

Author: Curtin University Library

Network Know-how and Data Handling Workshop

This record includes training materials associated with 'Network Know-how and Data Handling' workshops offered by Australia's Academic Research Network (AARNet). The workshops are delivered to library and eResearch staff at universities, as well as researcher communities, as train-the-trainer events, part of a broader infrastructure literacy strategy. This workshop is a ‘train-the-trainer’ session that covers topics such as jargon busting, network literacy and data movement solutions. The workshop will also provide a peek at some collaborative research tools such as Jupyter Notebooks and CloudStor. You will learn about networks, integrated tools, data and storage and where all these things fit in the researcher’s toolkit. This workshop is targeted at staff who would like to be more confident in giving advice to researchers about the options available to them. It is especially tailored for those with little to no technical knowledge and includes a hands-on component, using basic programming commands, but requires no previous knowledge of programming.

Material Type: Lesson

Author: Sara King

Introduction to Jupyter Notebooks

This workshop will introduce you to Jupyter Notebooks, a digital tool that has exploded in popularity in recent years for those working with data. You will learn what they are, what they do and why you might like to use them. It is an introductory set of lessons for those who are brand new, have little or no knowledge of coding and computational methods in research. This workshop is targeted at those who are absolute beginners or ‘tech-curious’. It includes a hands-on component, using basic programming commands, but requires no previous knowledge of programming.

Material Type: Lesson

Authors: King Sara, Mason Ingrid

Study Smart

Study Smart can be used to develop information research and literacy skills and achieve assignment success at university. Choose one module or complete all four.

Material Type: Interactive

Author: Queensland University of Technology Library

AIRS - Advanced Information Research Skills

AIRS is an open source set of online modules and resources in research skills and knowledge. It provides the grounding in research processes with practical tools to support you. AIRS is a mandatory coursework requirement for Higher Degree Research (HDR) students enrolled in a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master of Philosophy (MPhil), at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

Material Type: Full Course, Interactive, Reading

Author: Queensland University of Technology Library

Student Online Learning: Advanced Research

SOL:AR is designed to create a comprehensive and cohesive approach to HDR training for UNE students. Resources throughout the modules come from Research Services, UNE Library, the Academic Skills Office, and Technology and Digital Services (TDS). The information and resources provided are introductory and suitable for all HDR students. Where applicable, links have been provided to more detailed information and there is an associated workbook with activities to complete. SOL:AR consists of 15 modules, covering a number of different topics aimed at helping you navigate the research and writing components of your HDR journey. While SOL:AR has been designed in chronological order and the modules build upon each other, you can dive in and out of the modules as you need them. And, of course, you're welcome to go back to review them at any time. SOL:AR was developed by the University of New England from content initially developed by Queensland University of Technology through AIRS. Their contribution is gratefully acknowledged.

Material Type: Student Guide

Author: UNE Library

Five things you can learn from Eurovision about referencing

This resource was initially created to help creative arts students critically engage with referencing and citation politics and celebrate in time for Eurovision in May 2021! Five things you can learn from Eurovision about referencing include: 1. Both referencing and Eurovision are political 2. Question power and privilege and amplify diverse voices 3. Prioritise quality over quantity of sources and focus on content more than staging or style 4. Record and backup sources so you can learn from the past  5. Inspired by this year’s Eurovision theme Open Up, support open scholarship

Material Type: Case Study, Module

Author: Clare O'Hanlon

Dependability Checklist

The Dependability Checklist is a tool to help students evaluate resources for their assessments. Students answer ten 'yes' or 'no' questions about a resource and then generate a score indicating how trustworthy or dependable that resource is. Working through the Checklist introduces students to indicators of reliability. As students become more confident in evaluating sources, they won't need to rely on the Checklist. This tool is used as part of teaching evaluation in first year units at Deakin University. It can be used as part of assessment or activities where students evaluate resources providing the dependability score.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Interactive

Author: Deakin University Library

What is a subject heading?

An animated presentation explaining the basic concept of a subject heading. Created in MS Powerpoint (version 2205), it can be edited to add your own content or branding. Can also be exported to video, see example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HmkaMd_lgoScrIpt for narration is found in the notes section of each slide.

Material Type: Module

Author: Helen Davies

Dewey Really Need This? Classification, care, collaboration, and community engagement in libraries

These slides provide a brief overview of some of the problematic histories and legacies of the Dewey Decimal Classification System (and Dewey himself), particularly focusing on heterosexism and cissexism, but also sexism, racism, colonialism, and more discrimination. They critique the idea that libraries and librarians are neutral, discuss some of the creative and caring ways library workers and communities have challenged and continue to challenge and change these systems, and suggest ways we can all challenge discrimination in library classification (and other systems, policies and practices) too and why it is important that we do so.

Material Type: Lecture Notes

Author: O'hanlon Clare

Navigating Positionality, Power & Politics in Education Research

In this workshop, I hope to illustrate that that library workers, academics and teachers, the systems we use, and our research practices are not neutral. This myth of neutrality perpetuates the unequal and discriminatory status quo. It introduces people to concepts of positionality and citation politics to help them query and disrupt traditional paths and understand more about the researchers behind the research.

Material Type: Lecture Notes

Author: O'hanlon Clare

Creating OER (Postcard format for Higher Education)

Originally designed by Alexander Schnücker für Arbeitsstelle Hochschuldidaktik der Universität Siegen, these postcard-sized resources have been translated into English, and contextualised for Australia. The cards are broken into Theory, Practice, Examples, and Resources, and introduce OER to new practitioners whilst also providing examples and tools for anyone to use. This resource is used to raise staff awareness, to act as a 'ready reference' for practitioners, and as an aid for OER workshops designed to engage staff with OER in their discipline. Please note that this record contains the final version of the cards, and a .zip package with editable files to make it easier for remix. Authors: Tamara Heck, Adrian Stagg, Neil Martin, Catherine Wattiaux CC Licence Information This work, Creating OER, is a derivative of Making OER by Alexander Schnücker für Arbeitsstelle Hochschuldidaktik der Universität Siegen [University of Siegen, Germany], used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. Creating OER is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution- ShareAlike 4.0 International License by University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Material Type: Case Study, Reading, Teaching/Learning Strategy

Authors: Adrian Stagg, Neil Martin, Catherine Wattiaux, Tamara Heck

Information Literacy in Action: Evaluating Medical Information

Learn how to evaluate medical information as a non-medical expert using information literacy principles such as currency, noting research questions and methods and verifying claims with multiple sources.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Interactive, Lesson, Reading

Author: Marla Lobley

SCU RAISE

RAISE: Researcher Advanced Information Skills and Education is an independent-learning tool designed to build the research skills of Southern Cross University postgraduate students. The four modules cover search tips, advanced search tools, managing your research information, and disseminating your research.

Material Type: Full Course, Interactive, Reading

Digital Dexterity self assessment tool created by the Griffith University Library.

This Digital Dexterity Self-assessment Quiz will help you identify your strengths in specific digital skills, and identify the ones that might need a brush up. The quiz will assess your skills with different aspects of digital dexterity and point you towards resources to deepen your knowledge and understanding.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Interactive, Teaching/Learning Strategy

Author: Griffith University Library

Guidelines for Licensing Learning Objects for Re-use with Creative Commons

The guidelines assist creators of learning objects in considering the range of issues to take into account when making their content available for re-use under a Creative Commons licence. This includes whether the content is appropriate to licence for re-use, how to identify a suitable Creative Commons licence, how to practically apply the licence to the learning object, and other considerations for re-use. A one page handout summarising the main points of the Guidelines is also available to download in Word or PDF format.  

Material Type: Lesson

Author: Karen Miller

Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) Digital Dexterity framework for library professionals

The Digital Dexterity framework for library professionals originated at a workshop facilitated by Helen Beetham in Sydney in January 2019 (attended by over 70 library professionals from across Australia and New Zealand). The workshop outcomes were subsequently refined by a group of library professionals “Digital Dexterity champions” – as such this is a framework developed by library professionals for library professionals.

Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy

Author: Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL)

Health Research Readiness Modules

Applying the latest research to a clinical question is a vital skill for any evidence-based practitioner. These five Health Research Readiness modules introduce you to essential health information resources and equip you with the skills to efficiently find, evaluate, and reference them. Relevant for undergraduates, postgraduates, or anyone wanting to improve their health sciences information skills. The five modules include: Module A: Sources of information Module B: Types of information Module C: Searching Module D: Evaluating information Module E: Referencing

Material Type: Module