Rubrics for Evaluating OER Documents

The following rubrics represent an evaluation system for objects found within Open Resources. An object could include images, applets, lessons, units, assessments and more. For the purpose of evaluating OER, any component that can exist as a stand-alone qualifies as an object. The rubrics in this guide can be applied across content areas and object types. 

In general, the rubrics should be applied to the smallest meaningful unit in a resource. In some cases, this may be a single lesson or instructional support material, while in others it might be a complete unit of study or set of support materials. If multiple lessons are included in an OER, the reviewer needs to determine if all lessons will be examined, if only those lessons that deal with essential aspects of the curriculum are to be considered, or if it would be best to evaluate random lessons, looking at, for example, every third or fifth lesson. 

These rubrics are typically used to rate the potential, not actual, effectiveness of a particular object in an OER for its use in a specific learning environment.