The first step in deciding upon the best practices and uses for OERs is to make sure that the OER aligns with the state’s standards. A great tool to use for this purpose is Achieve’s Open Educational Resources downloadable rubrics that designed in order to help teachers and educators to evaluate different types of OERs for quality control and determine if they are an appropriate resource to be using. Another way to evaluate an OER is to check to see if they have been vetted by an educator to make sure that the OER is accurate. This takes some time, but it is worth it in the end to invest some time in the beginning to make sure you have the best resources possible for your classroom. 

OERs are a great tool because they are completely open, meaning that educators can change and adapt them however they want, so they can be tailored to any situation. This allows for the opportunity for teachers to collaborate on resources, share ideas, and make their resources their own. Other pros of using OERs include:

While OERs can come with their own set of challenges, such as copyright confusion, quality concerns, and vetting time, the value greatly outweighs any of these concerns. OERs should be taken full advantage of in all classrooms.