BCcampus Open Collection vs Saylor Academy
BCcampus Open Collection
collection.bccampus.ca
Saylor Academy
learn.saylor.orgSide by side
| Figure | BCcampus Open Collection | Saylor Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Open Educational Resource Platforms | 8.1 (#7) | 8.0 (#8) |
| Founded | 2003 | 2008 |
| Support | Users can contact the Open Education team by email and access accessibility, adaptation, adoption, and self-publishing guides. | The help center accepts support requests and lists [email protected] for help. |
| Who it serves | Educators in B.C. and beyond can use its resources in classrooms, institutional learning management systems, and other teaching and learning platforms. | The organization says it serves people pursuing personal and professional development, college credit, and graduate degrees. |
Plans
In their own words
BCcampus Open Collection
BCcampus Open Collection is a web collection of open educational resources, including courses and textbooks, for educators in B.C. and elsewhere. Materials can be used in classrooms, learning management systems, and other teaching platforms. Browse by subject or search using a B.C. institution course code. The collection includes textbooks, lesson plans, syllabi, assessments, rubrics, discussion topics, activities, and projects. Its openly licensed materials can be used, customized, and shared at no cost; users may edit, add, remix, or remove content. Downloads include PDF, EPUB, and Microsoft Word formats. Materials are reviewed for quality, accessibility, and inclusivity, with indicators for those meeting BCcampus accessibility criteria. Textbooks must have editable and PDF versions, meet accessibility criteria, and work as-is in a Canadian classroom. Courses receive instructional design review covering learning principles, accessibility, and representation. Anyone can submit a resource for review. The free plan costs nothing. Some school district networks or devices may have access issues.
Saylor Academy
Saylor University offers self-paced online courses, skill development programs, and graduate degrees. Its catalog lists 164 free courses spanning professional skills and college-level subjects. Materials are curated from free and open online resources by expert educators, and learners can earn free digital certificates by passing course exams. Some courses have ACE credit recommendations, but earning credit requires a proctored credit exam; optional proctoring costs $5 USD per exam session. The organization serves people pursuing personal or professional development, college credit, and graduate degrees. Learners can access courses on the web or use the Saylor University or Moodle mobile app on iOS and Android. Some activities can be downloaded for offline use, though some site features and settings are unavailable in the apps. Sign-in supports Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Microsoft. Saylor says it collects account and usage information and does not sell personal information. Its privacy policy describes administrative, physical, and technical safeguards while noting that absolute security cannot be guaranteed. Saylor University is the primary initiative of the Constitution Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Michael J. Saylor.