Tools

An overview of search engines for open resources and several useful toolkits, websites and sources of background information on OER and open education.

Last updated: 9 October 2024

Search engines for open data, open resources and MOOCs

CC SearchSearch engine for images, video and audio with a Creative Commons license
Class CentralThe ultimate search engine for MOOCs and loads of information
Data Set Search GoogleGoogle search engine for sets of open data
Every Stock PhotoSearch engine for free photos
Mason OER MetafinderReal-time federated search for OER content
OASISSearch engine that can access 52 different OER websites that contain more than 150,000 resources
SolvonautsSearch engine for several types of open resources

Miscellaneous sources

WebsiteDescription
Guidelines on the Development of Open Educational Resources Policies7 Phase process guiding in step-by-step development of an OER policy
OER Capability ToolkitThis toolkit aims to provide educators a fundamental understanding in the use and creation of OER. With many sources and including a nice wizard to support redesigning your course to include Open Pedagogy practices
Open attribution builderA tool to help you build a proper attribution when publishing with a Creative Commons license
Publiceren van OER
Publishing OER
A roadmap of activities that must be carried out in order to publish OER. NL and EN version. The Dutch version is targeted to Fontys School of ICT, but can easily be localized for your own context.
Quality model OERA study into the quality of OER. Contains a model that can be used to determine the quality of OER. Only NL version.
OER Africa toolkitsInformation categorized by legal, development of courses and materials and policy.
The OER Starter KitThis starter kit has been created by Abbey Elder (Iowa State University) to provide instructors with an introduction to the use and creation of open educational resources (OER). The text is broken into five sections: Getting Started, Copyright, Finding OER, Teaching with OER, and Creating OER.
A Basic Guide to OERA publication of the Commonwealth of Learning, including a FAQ on OER.
SURF OER support pagesSURF portal for all kinds of support for OER
OER Mythbusting!Arguments against OER are refuted here.
Open Content LicensingA three-step guide for open content licensing
Open Research Funders GroupMany tools for developing an institutional Open Policy
Remove backgroundTool to remove background from photo with a person
TinEyeReverse Image Search. Search by image and find where that image appears online.
Open PedagogyInformation about and examples of practices of open pedagogy
Open Pedagogy NotebookA resource for educators interested in learning more about Open Pedagogy. Includes many examples.
Why Open Research?Nice, easy accessible, website for those who wants to know more about: "Why open research?", by Erin and John McKiernan