Open Educational Resources by The Texas Learning Exchange

During the COVID-19 pandemic, learning communities everywhere raced to adapt their offerings to virtual environments. From this nationwide experiment, it became clear what new possibilities emerge when every young learner, their families, and educators have easier access to a dynamic library of digital resources.

In response to this development, The Texas Learning Exchange (TxLx) has created the FREE Open Educational Resources (OER) Library to support pre-K-12 educators in Texas (and beyond). Through OER, TxLx brings to life a “robust digital ecosystem” designed to enable learning communities to thrive in an environment where the barriers to where learning can and should happen are falling down.

The library is relevant for urban, suburban, and rural learning communities. And, the materials are vetted against a variety of criteria, including cultural responsiveness and if the material cultivates authentic learning within each child. Even after the criteria is initially met, the materials are further improved through the interaction with educators and families who might see gaps in the offerings. The broader OER movement helps us imagine a new future of education where a community-curated approach to learning becomes the norm. TxLx is hoping to play a role in creating that future.