The OER Promptbook A Field Guide for OER Work With AI
Practical OER help for busy faculty

Start With the OER Problem in Front of You.

Choose a task, add only the information that matters, and copy a focused AI prompt. The Promptbook helps with searching, sorting, and setup. You verify the evidence and make the academic decision.

You do not need to learn prompt writing first.

Choose a TaskExplore OER
Choose one task

What Do You Need to Get Done?

Pick the card that matches your immediate problem. You do not need to work through the site in order, and you do not need to use every route.

Short on time? Start with Quick. Most tasks are designed to give you a useful first pass with only a few details.

New to the terms? OER means openly licensed educational resources. ZTC means zero textbook cost. A COR is a Course Outline of Record, the official document describing an approved course. You do not need to know the licensing details before you start.

Find what you need

Find OER

Replace a textbook and the teaching supports you rely on, find one unit resource, find an open alternative to a current book, search from a COR or syllabus, or check a list you already have.

Find OER
Decide what is worth your time

Evaluate OER

Check course fit, missing teaching supports, access and licensing evidence, and how much prep or maintenance adoption may create.

Evaluate OER
Fix one missing piece

Fill a Gap

Figure out what one unit actually needs, then add the smallest useful resource, example, activity, or context.

Fill a Gap
Plan only what you need

Build a Plan

Replace materials without redesigning, organize a few weeks or modules, or check whether a rough plan is ready enough.

Build a Plan
Find a no-cost path

Explore Zero-Cost (ZTC) Options

Start with OER, then explore a small number of library-supported or other zero-cost possibilities when open materials do not cover the need.

Explore ZTC Options
See the differences that matter

Compare Options

Compare a few realistic choices by the tradeoffs, workload, access questions, and unknowns that could actually affect your decision.

Compare Options
See what you get

What Does a Quick Result Look Like?

Quick is designed to produce a small, usable first pass, not a wall of research. The exact output changes by task, but the pattern stays intentionally simple.

See an example of the result structure

A manageable shortlist

Usually a few serious candidates or findings rather than dozens of possibilities.

Evidence you can trace

Direct original-source links, license or rights information, and clear notes about what could or could not be verified.

A human next step

The result ends by showing what is most worth opening, checking, or asking about next. It does not make the adoption decision for you.

Example: If you enter Children’s Literature on Find OER, a Quick search asks for 3–5 candidates with coverage, source links, license evidence, requested teaching supports, and verification notes. It then narrows the next review step instead of asking you to evaluate everything at once.
Three-step method

Use the Promptbook Without Making More Work

  1. Choose the problem. Start with the task you actually need to finish.
  2. Use Quick first. Add the minimum information and copy the prepared prompt. Go Deeper only if an important question remains.
  3. Verify what matters. Open the real sources, confirm consequential details, and keep the final decision human.
Browse before you prompt

Explore OER Without Starting With AI

Want to look around first? Browse California-focused and broader OER collections by discipline, course alignment, resource type, or the kind of material you need.

If you want help narrowing the search later, the Explore OER page also lets you choose trusted collections and copy a ready-to-paste starting-source list into Find OER.

Remember: free access is not the same as an open license. Verify important license and source information at the original page.

The OER Promptbook is an independent faculty project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ASCCC or ASCCC OERI.

Explore OER Sources ASCCC OERI by Discipline ASCCC OERI by C-ID
Need a little more help?

Use Support Only When You Need It

New to AI?

Use the one-minute guide to see how the Promptbook works, what to verify, and what information should stay out of AI chats.

Using AI With the Promptbook

Regular prompt not working?

Try a small fix first. If the simple route still is not enough, use an optional advanced workflow for search repair, prompt repair, or research auditing.

Advanced Workflows