From OER to Open Press and Open Impact: The evolution of large-scale open education initiatives

Streamed Session Leadership

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

As open education initiatives gain momentum, they often evolve beyond their original scope and purpose. The Open Press is an agile operational model that provides a central hub for creating, sharing, and scaling use of OER. Directors of Open Press initiatives share recommendations for building sustainable, impactful open education projects.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Stefanie Buck, Oregon State University

Co-presenter: Anita Walz, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Co-presenter: Hugh McGuire, Pressbooks

Co-presenter: Abbey Elder, Iowa State University

Abbey Elder is the lead for the Open Education program at Iowa State University and the main contact for faculty, students, and staff as they navigate topics like Open Access (OA) and copyright. In addition to managing outreach and instruction on topics related to OER and OA, she also supports the Iowa State University Digital Press' Textbooks branch and provides instruction for undergraduate and graduate students on the research process. Outside of her duties at Iowa State University, Abbey serves as the Statewide Open Education Coordinator for the Iowa Open Education Action Team (Iowa OER).

Co-presenter: Allison Brown, SUNY College at Geneseo

Extended Abstract

When educational institutions make the strategic decision to invest in open education initiatives, their goals commonly include textbook cost savings and improving access. They grapple with start-up challenges like building awareness, finding tools, and supporting early adopters willing to give open educational resources (OER) a try. As these projects gain momentum, their focus evolves as they work to operationalize, scale, and demonstrate the impact in ways that align with institutional strategic priorities. Some migrate towards the model of an Open Press, a central hub for creating, managing, and sharing open learning materials and scholarship. Join this session for a thoughtful discussion with campus champions who direct mature Open Press initiatives. How has the Open Press model helped them evolve in step with institutional priorities? How do they define and demonstrate impact? What guidance can they offer colleagues seeking to build sustainable, impactful open education projects?

 

Why This Is Relevant to the Community:

As the open education movement gains momentum, organizations are developing new models for sustaining growth and demonstrating impact. The “Open Press” model is a mashup of open education principles blended with the traditional University Press. Open Press initiatives typically lower barriers to publishing openly-licensed books, learning materials, and scholarship. Leveraging the affordances of Open, often they support content creation, adaptation, remix, and open pedagogy. Other essential considerations include accessibility, discoverability, affordability and access. This session brings together people who have been architects and stewards of Open Press initiatives at their institutions. Refining this model to fit their goals and circumstances, they have built operational structure, tools, and practices to support their impact with open education. By discussing the Open Press model, others can consider how it may help them effectively grow and scale their OER efforts.

 

Level of Participation: 

This session begins with a welcome, panelist introductions, and context-setting. The panel moderator will briefly share a maturity model for open education initiatives, including the Open Press model. Technology permitting, this introduction will include an interactive poll to solicit audience members’ roles and experience with open education projects and the maturity level of their institutions’ work with OER. 

 

Following a brief introduction, each panelist will share a brief presentation about their Open Press initiative, impacts they aim to achieve, and how project goals and focus have evolved over time in alignment with institutional priorities. They will also discuss how the Open Press model has been helpful as they work to sustain and scale their institutions’ open education initiatives and demonstrate impact over time.

 

Following panelist presentations, the session moderator will engage the panel in interview-style dialogue, delving into questions such as: 

  • What tools or approaches have been particularly helpful to you in standing up the Open Press model and making your open education initiatives manageable as they grow and mature? 

  • How has the Open Press model helped you navigate sustainability challenges? 

  • Would you recommend the Open Press model to other institutions striving for impact with open education? Why or why not? 

  • What guidance would you offer colleagues seeking to build sustainable, impactful open education projects?

 

The final ten minutes will be reserved for open Q&A with the audience. 

 

Session Goals: 

Individuals attending this panel discussion will be able to discuss how the focus of open educational initiatives may shift as they gain momentum. They will gain an understanding of the Open Press model and what it offers the campus ecosystem, discover in what scenarios the Open Press model makes sense to support scale and sustainability for open education and scholarship, and learn strategies for increasing the sustainability of large-scale open education initiatives.