Open Educational Resources

Adding OER to Canvas

Adding an OER to Canvas, or distributing it to your class in some other way, is very simple.

The most straightforward way is to simply provide a link to the textbook's page, like this:

In this class, we will be using Anatomy and Physiology by Betts, et al.. It is a free textbook available from OpenStax here: Anatomy and Physiology on OpenStax

Many OER providers also have Canvas integration for their materials. OpenStax, for instance, invites faculty to register when they adopt a textbook, which unlocks many instructor features, including Canvas "cartridges" which can be loaded into your course.

Source: Christian Brothers University Plough Library. Open Educational Resources : Integration with Canvas. Retrieved from https://libguides.cbu.edu/oer/canvas.

Other Best Practices

• Provide a Syllabus Statement or explanation about the content

  If you’ve adopted OER for your course, it's important to communicate with your students how to get access to the materials as early as possible. Below are some sample statements you may include in your syllabus to describe your OER for students. You are free to reuse and revise these statements as you see fit:

  "The textbook for this class is an open educational resource (OER), meaning it is available for free online. You can access the online version of the text from the book’s landing page [link text] or from within Canvas. You may visit the book’s landing page to download the text for free in the format that works best for you (including PDF 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 print version for [quoted price] from University Printing Services."

  For a shorter statement, you might say:

  "In this class, we will be using the free online resource, [Resource title] by [author(s)]. Links to all readings, videos, quizzes, and other activities are provided in our class' Modules in Canvas: [link to Modules]"

• Assign a "get to know your course" game

  It can be overwhelming for students to come into a class using online or interactive materials for the first time!

  To acclimate your students to your content, consider a low-stakes assignment like a short syllabus quiz. If you're using an online homework software like MyOpenMath for your course, it's especially important that you walk students through how to log in and access their course assessments online. 

• Give students multiple options for interfacing with content

  OER come in a wide array of formats and sizes, so you can mix and match the best resources for your needs. However, "your needs" and students' needs aren't always the same. Below are a few tips for how you can present content differently to encourage engagement:
  • If you're using an online OER textbook or handbook, get a quote from the campus Print Studio before the semester starts so you can tell students how much it might cost to get a print copy of your book in loose-leaf or spiral-bound formats.
  • If you're sharing lecture videos with your course, attach a copy of your lecture slides to supplement the content. This will help students follow along as they watch your lecture, and provide another space for them to take notes.
    • If you're using videos or audio podcasts as examples in your class, download the transcripts to share separately. Some students prefer to quickly browse through content by reading it, and then follow up by watching the full video. 
  • For content available in Pressbooks, consider using the Pressbooks LTI in Canvas to import your open textbooks' Common Cartridge export and seamlessly integrate your book's chapters into your Canvas Modules. 

Source: Iowa State University. Open Educational Resources : Integrating OER in Canvas. Retrieved from www.oer.iastate.edu/integrating-oer-canvas.

Importing OER from Canvas Commons

Canvas Commons is a learning object repository where you can find, import, and share resources. You can share learning resources with other users as well as import learning resources into a Canvas course. The video below shows an example of how to import an OpenStax course from Canvas Commons.