Open Nebraska (ONE)

Open access refers to teaching, learning and research materials that are available free online for anyone to use as is, but they may not be revised, remixed, or redistributed. This terminology is typically used for scholarly works (journals, books, etc.), but can also refer to other class materials.  Examples of OA materials include government documents, articles from open access journals, reports from think tanks.

OER are freely and publicly available teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use and re-purposing by others. For example, instructors may download the material, tailor it to one’s course, save a copy locally to share with one’s students and share it back out with attribution. OER can include textbooks, course materials and full courses, modules, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge.  An open source (or open) textbook is a textbook which is OER.

Beginning with the Spring 2022 semester, campuses at the University of Nebraska will pilot a new course attribute in the searchable web-based course schedules.

Students can search for Open Nebraska or ONE courses when they register for classes.  This means the course will include no-cost or low-cost materials OR a low-cost E-book.  The three attributes were proposed to Information Technology Services by the 2020-21 NU Student Regents and a group of Student Government representatives from each campus. 

No Cost Materials: These digital course materials are incorporated into Canvas at no additional cost to the student. No book purchase required.

Low Cost Materials: These digital course materials are incorporated into Canvas and cost students less than $40. No book purchase required.

Low Cost E-Book: This reduced-cost eBook is purchased through the campus bookstore and costs a student less than $40.

Faculty can register ONE courses in CLSS.

Description of Library-Licensed Course Content

“Library-licensed materials” are course materials, which are available free to library patrons.  They include eBooks and print versions of books on reserve. The eBooks may or may not be downloadable/retainable; they may or may not be accessed offline; the license may allow for multiple users or only one user to use the material at the same time.  Library-licensed materials can be adopted for courses. While they are free for library patrons, they are not free—rather, they have been paid for by the library.

Definition of Affordable Course Content

Affordable course content describes any free, low-cost, or openly licensed educational resources that can serve as alternatives to high-cost resources. At UMW, low-cost is defined as requiring students to spend no more than $40 in total for course materials. Affordable course content can include textbooks, digital courseware, course modules, videos, journal articles, and any other materials used to support learning.

Most affordable course content still retains traditional copyright licensing, including restrictions on how a resource can be used or shared.  The exception is OER, which are free of cost and most copyright restrictions, allowing them to be freely used, revised, saved, and distributed.