Reimagining Education to Make Ripples Beyond OER: Presenting Rebus’ Guidebook to Challenge Status Quo in OER Creation
Brief Abstract
Making Ripples is an OER guidebook to help educators apply inclusive and equitable perspectives in their work to create ripple effects in education and beyond. Join the authors as they discuss the Guide's main themes and explain how you can utilize it for your personal growth or open education initiatives.
Presenters
Extended Abstract
Making Ripples: A Guidebook to Challenge Status Quo in OER Creation is a newly-published OER designed to assist educators in adopting a more inclusive and equitable approach to their work. This session will offer an overview of the guide, and explain how it can be used by participants to accelerate their learning around equity and incorporate practices into action. The guide is composed of five interconnected parts that build on each other: offering opportunities for educators to reflect on their practices, identify actionable strategies, and connect with resources and community members.
This guide was created using programming knowledge gained while collaborating with OER creation partners in two separate states. One of our organizational outcomes through this collaboration was to identify and share common strategies for incorporating diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) practices into OER creation. We were curious how different geographies and state-wide systems setups would influence the efficacy of DEI creation strategies, and looked eagerly for replicable strategies that would apply to participants in other regions. We also sought to understand the barriers to incorporating DEI into individual and institutional work, and how to overcome these obstacles. What does equity in education mean to individuals working in the post-secondary system? How does it surface in day-to-day interactions, roles, and collaborations? How is DEI embedded into OER? And importantly, why does this all matter? What are the effects of equitable perspectives to education?
We observed and recorded key DEI components that program participants were most interested in, resonated with, engaged deeply in, and asked for assistance with over the course of a year. These questions and observations formed the basis of Making Ripples.
These observations also demonstrated the significance of incorporating DEI work as a way to foster trust in collaborative open education projects and develop an understanding of the reason behind the work. We recognized the need for a safe and inclusive space where participants could freely express themselves, ask questions, and have meaningful discussions that were facilitated with care and compassion. We found that practical examples of how to apply DEI strategies and diverse viewpoints were effective in broadening perspectives and encouraging participants to consider local contexts. These learnings were incorporated into the Making Ripples Guide.
We want to share some of the key findings from our partnerships, as embedded in the Making Ripples Guide, with OLC attendees — in the hopes that these lessons will inspire and resonate with those striving to build more meaningful learning environments. In this session, the authors will discuss the guide's main themes and demonstrate how it can be utilized in one's own personal reconciliation work or institutional open education initiatives. This session offers a chance for individuals to reflect, think deeply, and collaborate with equity-minded colleagues on how to create a ripple effect of change. Attendees are encouraged to bring their questions and ideas about enacting equity for a lively discussion. Participants will have the opportunity during the session to engage in an action-planning activity and reflect on steps they can take to create a ripple effect of positive change. By the end of the session, attendees will gain an understanding of the qualitative framework and methodology used in the Making Ripples Guide for inclusive OER creation, as well as practical suggestions for how to apply the guide in their specific roles or institutional OER programs.
Ultimately, the session aims to provide diverse perspectives on equity in open education initiatives, explore how the Making Ripples Guide can be adapted to different contexts, and inspire participants to consider their role in effecting positive change in their pedagogical approaches, professional interactions, and daily routines.
Level of Participation:
Following the introduction to the Guide, attendees will pose challenges they have faced or questions they have about incorporating DEI practices into OER creation. Next, attendees will be invited to participate in an action-planning activity during the session. Participants will be encouraged to share their learning and ask questions, live or using the chat function.
Session Goals:
By participating in this discussion, individuals will have the opportunity to acquire diverse perspectives from presenters and attendees regarding equity in open education initiatives. They will be able to explore how the Making Ripples Guide can be adapted to suit the requirements of their specific roles or institutional OER programs. Additionally, they will be encouraged to contemplate their position in the field of education and how they can utilize this knowledge to affect positive change in their pedagogical approaches, professional interactions, and daily routines.