Remixing Content

Introduction

A great benefit to using CC materials is the ability to mix and match or “remix”. Authors don’t have to constantly create their works from scratch. Instead, they can revise or remix existing content. Most CC licenses allow for reuse without issue, but some licenses can be tricky if you want to modify the work.

Mixing and Matching Licenses

The table below summarizes which CC licensed content can be remixed with other CC licensed content.

Note: When remixing materials with different CC licenses, ensure the licenses do not conflict before proceeding. If licenses do conflict, determine which materials have a conflicting license and try to find alternatives; or create new content; or create a “collection” – by placing various CC licensed works next to each other without remixing them. Be sure to properly attribute each work in a remix or in a collection.

Creative Commons License Compatibility Created by Kennisland, published under a CC0 license.

Creative Commons License Compatibility Links to an external site. by Kennisland on Wikimedia Commons (CC0 Links to an external site.)

Remixing Realities

The promise of remixing openly licensed content is exciting! However, it's much easier said than done, because while the legal parameters are in place, the technical parameters are not.

Here are some common remixing challenges:

  • Easily editable files aren't available (so you find yourself trying to reverse engineer a PDF, for example)
  • Tons of cleanup is required
  • Some licenses can't work together
  • Turns out that some content in the open textbook was used with permission, and isn't openly licensed

To this last point, there's an ongoing conversation in the open education community about whether or not there is a place for content used by permission in an openly licensed work. Some feel it's entirely appropriate. Others have concerns that it complicates adaptation down the line, since the adapting user will need to track down the original copyright holder and request permission. You'll probably want to decide on local policy that works for you.

Modification Guide

The Open Education Network created a five-step guide about how to adapt existing openly licensed works called Modifying an Open Textbook Links to an external site.. Step-by-step instructions for importing and editing common open textbook file and platform types are included.