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Open Educational Resources: Creative Commons

A guide to free digital educational resources which can be incorporated into and support course curriculum

Creative Commons

 

Creative Commons provides a  simple, standardized license which grants copyright permissions to creative work.
  • Users of Creative Commons learning objects, publications, and resources are granted the rights to freely use these materials (with some limitations) for nonprofit educational purposes generally with attribution to the author or creator.
  • Creators using the creative commons license retain copyright while allowing others to copy, distribute, and make some uses of their work — at least non-commercially.
  • There are a number of creative commons licenses.  For more information, go to creativecommons.org/
  • Web based resources which are freely accessible using the Creative Commons licenses are searchable using the CC Search.
  • In addition, one could use Google to identify Creative Commons materials (under Google Advanced search > Usage Rights).

Creative Commons Licenses

Complete descriptions with examples of Creative Commons licenses.

Creative Commons Licenses

Attribution Attribution (by)

All CC licenses require that others who use your work in any way must give you credit the way you request, but not in a way that suggests you endorse them or their use. If they want to use your work without giving you credit or for endorsement purposes, they must get your permission first.

ShareAlike ShareAlike (sa)

You let others copy, distribute, display, perform, and modify your work, as long as they distribute any modified work on the same terms. If they want to distribute modified works under other terms, they must get your permission first.

NonCommercial NonCommercial (nc)

You let others copy, distribute, display, perform, and (unless you have chosen NoDerivatives) modify and use your work for any purpose other than commercially unless they get your permission first.

NoDerivatives NoDerivatives (nd)

You let others copy, distribute, display and perform only original copies of your work. If they want to modify your work, they must get your permission first.