Understanding Creative Commons Licenses
Creative Commons licenses allow creators to share their work while setting clear permissions for how others can use it. These licenses help faculty reuse, adapt, and share teaching materials in ways that support collaboration, access, and academic integrity.
The Three Layers of a Creative Commons License
Each Creative Commons license is designed to be understood by both people and technology through three layers:
Legal Code
The full legal terms of the license.
Human-Readable Summary
A simplified explanation of what users can and cannot do.
Machine-Readable Code
Metadata that allows search engines and platforms to identify licensed content.
The Four License Elements
Creative Commons licenses are built from four key elements that define how a work can be used:
BY – Attribution
Users must give credit to the original creator.
SA – ShareAlike
Adaptations must be shared under the same license.
NC – NonCommercial
The work cannot be used for commercial purposes.
ND – NoDerivatives
The work cannot be modified.
The Six Creative Commons Licenses
Each Creative Commons license combines the elements above to create different levels of openness.
| License | What It Allows |
|---|---|
| CC BY | Use, share, adapt–even commercially–with attribution |
| CC BY-SA | Same as CC BY, but adaptations must use same license |
| CC BY-NC | Use and adapt for noncommercial purposes only |
| CC BY-NC-SA | Noncommercial + ShareAlike |
| CC BY-ND | Redistribution only, no changes |
| CC BY-NC-ND | Most restrictive–no changes, no commercial use |
All Creative Commons licenses require attribution.
The License Spectrum: From Most Open to Most Restrictive
Creative Commons licenses range from highly open to more restrictive, depending on the elements applied. More open licenses allow for adaptation and reuse, while more restrictive licenses limit how materials can be modified or shared.
Using Creative Commons Licenses in Your Courses
Faculty can use Creative Commons licenses to:
- Share their own teaching materials
- Adapt existing OER for their courses
- Combine resources from multiple sources
- Provide clear permissions for students and other instructors
For example, an instructor might adapt an openly licensed textbook and add course-specific examples, then share the updated version with proper attribution.
Key Takeaways
- All CC licenses require attribution
- Licenses define how materials can be reused and adapted
- More restrictive licenses limit modification and sharing
- Understanding license terms helps ensure responsible use
“Creative Commons License Materials” by Creative Commons is licensed under CC BY 4.0 and available from CreativeCommons.org .
Text and instructional content on this page are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license .
Images and third-party materials are used under license and may not be reused without
permission.
