Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship.
Information about copyright issues provided by Kopiosto
Copyrights and related agreements
The key distinguishing characteristic of open educational resources is their copyright license, which communicates the permissions to share and adapt the educational content, while ensuring that the author receives credit for the work.
The most common way to release materials as OER is through applying Creative Commons (CC) licenses. Creative Commons licenses are commonly used for open access publishing. CC-BY and CC-BY-SA licenses are most often recommended for educational materials. The license should be indicated on the material and in the metadata.
5 R´s of Open Educational Resources
Within the bounds of Creative Commons licensing there are 5 key points to consider when using OERs:
Reuse - Content can be reused in its unaltered original format - the right to use the content in a wide range of ways (e.g., in a class, in a study group, on a website, in a video)
Retain - Copies of content can be retained for personal archives or reference - the right to make, own, and control copies of the content (e.g., download, duplicate, store, and manage)
Revise - Content can be modified or altered to suit specific needs - the right to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself (e.g., translate the content into another language)
Remix - Content can be adapted with other similar content to create something new- the right to combine the original or revised content with other material to create something new (e.g., incorporate the content into a mashup)
Redistribute - Content can be shared with anyone else in its original or altered format - the right to share copies of the original content, your revisions, or your remixes with others (e.g., give a copy of the content to a friend)
The “open” aspect of OER can be defined by David Wiley’s 5R Framework
