Using Free and Open Online Resources: Licensing and Collections

Authors

  • Norm Friesen Thompson Rivers University

Abstract

The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of the “open” or “free” resources and materials available from online collections and providers that may be of significant strategic value to schools, universities and to other organizations with educational mandates, such as museums and archives. The initial sections of this paper describe some of the most basic characteristics of “open source,” or more accurately, “creative commons” licensing for cultural and educational resources. These sections also outline criteria for the inclusion of items in the annotated listing that is provided in the remainder of the document. This listing provides details for a number of recommended collections of resources with alternative licences, indicating the terms governing their use in each case.

Author Biography

Norm Friesen, Thompson Rivers University

Dr. Norm Friesen is Canada Research Chair in E-Learning Practices at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. Dr. Friesen is the author of “Re-Thinking E-Learning Research: Foundations, Methods and Practices” (Peter Lang, 2009), and is co-editor of the open, online peer-reviewed journal, “Phenomenology & Practice”.

Downloads

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2011): Map My Culture: Community and Space in Small Cities

Section

Articles

License

The copyright for content in Small Cities Imprint is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to Small Cities Imprint.  By virtue of the open access policy of Small Cities Imprint, content may be used with proper attribution (to both the author and Small Cities Imprint) for educational and other non-commercial use.