OER & You (or How to Take Advantage of the Incredible Universe of Open Educational Resources)

Have you ever had an idea that was stimulated by a painting, a book, or a movie? Of course you have! The very nature of creation is stimulated by what we see, hear, and experience. It's as simple as spotting a problem and developing a solution.

Originally, copyright laws in the United States were simple, easy to understand, and compliance was a breeze. Unfortunately, thanks to very powerful interests (and their lobbyists), this is no longer the case. Unless you have a law degree, it can be very easy to inadvertently break the law and consequences can be disastrous, including criminal charges. In addition to making financial restitution to copyright holders, those caught breaking copyright law can face serious criminal penalties. If you get caught more than once in a copyright-infringement case, you could face additional fines of up to $250,000 and up to 10 years in prison.

We are not here to make you masters of copyright law. Instead, we are here to help you learn that there are tools out there that are generally free to use, to modify, to share, all with the goal of helping stimulate your imagination, to share knowledge and information, to share and stimulate the growth of others. Yes, you can legally use this material for your own creations. If you follow the original author's license guidelines, if any, you may even use this content in the development of material for profit.

Our goal is to introduce you to the Public Domain, to Creative Commons licensing, teach you to be a good member of the Commons, and give you the skills to edit & curate the UT-IDT OER Resource Guide. You will learn to help yourself and to pay it forward by helping others succeed.