Open Educational Resources

Open Educational Resources (OERs) are learning resources made available in the public domain. They are licensed in a way that allows use and modification to align with learning goals. The following OERs have been developed in part by the Educational Technologists at SUNY Empire and various subject matter experts. Each resource is licensed under a specific Creative Commons license.

Empire State College Faculty and Staff

Educational Technologists (Ed Techs) at the college can provide assistance with modifying or adopting the following OERs with your students. Please submit a Consultation Request to work with an EdTech.

Obtaining a Copy of an OER

Outside parties interested in adopting one of the following OERs are encouraged to use the direct link as provided below. Download links are also available for those needing to adapt/modify or host the resources elsewhere. Please Note: SUNY Empire is not responsible for troubleshooting issues with downloaded files.

OER Collection

STEM OER

Scientific Method

In this OER, students can learn the steps in the Scientific Method as they follow the development of a scientific experiment, data collection, and/or data analysis. The Scientific Method OER was developed as part of a 2016 SUNY Innovative Instructional Technology Grant.

Scientific Method OER

Created by: Allison Moreland & Dr. Nathan Whitley-Grassi

License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA

Ethograms

In this OER, you will learn the basics of observing animal behavior, be able to identify different types of measurement scales and know which characteristics they work best with. You will be able to understand the differences between various sampling types, and apply the basic recording rules to your own Ethogram developed from animal observation. The focus is on ad libitum sampling and on practicing observation and note taking, and converting those notes in to a final Ethogram. This OER was developed as part of a 2016 SUNY Innovative Instructional Technology Grant.

Ethograms: Cataloging Animal Behavior OER

Created By: Dr. Kevin Woo, Professor of Animal Behavior & Norana Cantrell, MS Educational Technologist

License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA

Biodiversity

Amaze your friends! Astound your enemies! Only the cool kids can calculate Simpson’s Diversity Index AND Simpson’s Index of Diversity! In this OER, you will learn about the basics of biodiversity. You will understand what the Simpson’s Index of Diversity measures, learn the formula, and how to calculate it. Join us on a virtual field trip as we calculate the biodiversity of three different areas and examine what they mean. This Biodiversity OER was developed as part of a 2016 SUNY Innovative Instructional Technology Grant.

Created By: Dr. Kevin Woo, Professor of Animal Behavior & Norana Cantrell, MS Educational Technologist

Biodiversity OER

License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA

Microscopy

This module introduces microscopy and uses of compound and dissecting microscopes. Upon completion, you will demonstrate an understanding of the parts of the microscopes, the basic functions of set up and viewing specimens, and the selection of appropriate magnification based on the specimen. This module is creative commons licensed and was developed as part of a 2016 SUNY Innovative Instructional Technology Grant.

Introduction to Microscopy

Created By: Dr. Nathan Whitley-Grassi

License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA

Visual Pathways

Designed for undergraduate students in Human Physiology or Neuroscience, this resource explores how information from the visual world is processed by the brain. Additionally, you will come to recognize visual as a spatial sense and identify the anatomy and organization of visual pathways. The Visual Pathways OER was developed as part of a 2016 SUNY Innovative Instructional Technology Grant.

Created By: Dr. Joan Baizer, Associate Professor of Physiology from University at Buffalo & Kelsey Foote, Educational Technologist

Visual Pathways

License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA

Archaeology and Geology

While the sciences are fundamentally dependent on one another in a theoretical basis, the academic and professional application of the sciences often lack the interdisciplinary approaches that provide for a holistic understanding of scientific research. This OER demonstrates the interconnectedness of archaeology and geology through the lens of stratigraphy.

Authors: Kelsey Foote, Dr. Rhianna Rogers, James W. Schetuz

OER forthcoming

Improve Your Paper: Learn How to Work with Sources

Paraphrasing and Quotations

[This is a description of the OER and it's learning objectives. The following OER was developed as part of a SUNY Innovative Instructional Technology Grant.]

Author: Kelsey Foote, Brett Sherman, Daniel McCrea

Writing with Sources: Paraphrasing & Quotations OER

License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA