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Open Educational Resources for Foreign Languages

This guide focuses on OER for languages taught at Brandeis. It is designed to be an evolving resource. We welcome suggestions for additional resources that complement the Brandeis curriculum.

Creative Arts Librarian

A note about broken links

Open educational resources often change, and some of the links on these pages may break over the course of time. We will make every effort to keep the links current, but please let us know if you encounter a broken link. Thank you for your understanding!

Faculty share advantages of using OER

Addressing the high costs of textbooks and learning materials

Between 2006 and 2016, the price of college textbooks increased 88%.1 The rising costs of course materials can negatively impact student success. A 2013 study of over 2,000 college students found that 65% of respondents had resorted to not purchasing a required textbook due to price, and in some places, spent $1,200 a year on learning materials.2 Consider ways you can reduce costs for your students:

  • Explore Open Educational Resources (OER): OER are learning resources such as articles, books, audio recordings, images, video, software and digital tools that one is licensed to reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute. Instructors can reuse OER, as well as edit and augment these materials, in developing course content for students. Please continue reading for examples of OER.
  • Work with Your Librarian: Your librarian can work with you to identify ways to reduce the expense of course materials for your students through the use of OER, multi-user e-books, and materials available through the Library. Contact your librarian to discuss options for your teaching.
  • Request Course Reserves: Faculty can set aside books, videos and other materials as Courses Reserves at the Library for their students. More information.

Learn about the benefits and challenges of OER (from Washington State University)

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, “College Tuition and Fees Increase 63 Percent since January 2006,” 2016. https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2016/college-tuition-and-fees-increase-63-percent-since-january-2006.htm.

2 U.S. PIRG, “Fixing the Broken Textbook Market,” 2014. https://uspirg.org/reports/usp/fixing-broken-textbook-market.