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Teaching and Learning for Social Justice and Equity in Higher Education pp 317–337Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Open Educational Resources as Tools to Foster Equity

Abstract

Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that are available without access fees and with licensing that affords innovation through OER-enabled pedagogy. In this chapter, we review the financial impact of OER and research evidence that the quality of OER is comparable to that of commercial materials. This is followed by an explanation of how OER licensing allows instructors to revise materials and how OER can be adapted to be more culturally responsive, effectively aligned with learning objectives, and inclusive of student needs. By promoting access to materials, being adaptable to student needs, and providing diverse communities the opportunity to share their voices and knowledge, OER serve as tools to improve teaching and learning and promote social justice in higher education. We present future directions for OER research and implementation as well as sample initiatives to support the adoption of OER and activities that incorporate OER-enabled pedagogy.

Keywords

  • Open educational resources
  • Open pedagogy
  • Underserved students

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Notes

  1. 1.

    We thank Rajiv Jhangiani for posting this example on Twitter.

  2. 2.

    We thank Andrea E. Niosi for posting these examples on Twitter.

Abbreviations

Open educational resources (OER):

“Teaching, learning and research materials in any medium—digital or otherwise—that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions.” (William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, 2019, para. 7).

Open textbooks:

OER in textbook form that are typically available without access fees online. These usually can be printed or ordered as bound, hard copies.

Course withdrawal:

When students remove themselves from courses after the drop deadline but before the term is complete.

First-generation college students:

Students whose parents or guardians did not attend college or did not complete a college degree (definitions vary by study and institution).

Creative Commons:

A nonprofit organization with a mission to promote tools for public sharing of knowledge and culture. Creative Commons licensing provides legal tools and guidelines for rights and restrictions on public use, attribution, and modifications (Creative Commons, 2020).

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Suggestions for Future Reading

  • Hilton, J. (2019). Open educational resources, student efficacy, and user perceptions: a synthesis of research published between 2015–2018. Educational Technology Research and development. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09700-4

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes on OER

  • Clinton, V., & Khan, S. (2019). Efficacy of open textbook adoption on learning performance and course withdrawal rates: A meta-analysis. AERA Open, 5(3), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2332858419872212

  • Hilton, J. (2016). Open educational resources and college textbook choices: A review of research on efficacy and perceptions. Educational Technology Research and Development,64(4), 573–590. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-016-9434-9

Overviews of OER and OER-Enabled Pedagogy

  • Jhangiani, R. S., & Jhangiani, S. (2017). Investigating the perceptions, use, and impact of open textbooks: A survey of post-secondary students in British Columbia. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(4). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v18i4.3012

  • Wiley, D. & Hilton, JL, III. 2018. Defining OER-Enabled Pedagogy. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 19(4). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v19i4.3601.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA

    Virginia Clinton-Lisell, Elizabeth M. Legerski, Bri Rhodes & Staci Gilpin

  2. Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, USA

    Bri Rhodes

  3. The College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN, USA

    Staci Gilpin

Authors
  1. Virginia Clinton-Lisell
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  2. Elizabeth M. Legerski
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Correspondence to Virginia Clinton-Lisell .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Education, Health, & Behavior Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA

    Dr. C. Casey Ozaki

  2. North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

    Dr. Laura Parson

Appendix

Appendix

Student Course Project Incorporating OER-enabled Pedagogy

Context

It can be difficult for instructors working in teacher preparation programs to locate OER textbooks and other resources that address broad foundational elements along with issues, legislation, and practices applicable at the local/state level. The IRIS Center supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs and located at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College offers free online interactive resources, which are licensed by Creative Commons that “translate research about the education of students with disabilities into practice” (Vanderbilt University, 2020). Included in their comprehensive coverage of evidence-based topics are behavior and learning strategies along with data collections and analysis. However, IRIS Center resources do not address the implementation of practices and teacher licensure standards relevant to specific states. Thus, IRIS Center resources are ripe for OER-enabled pedagogy through revision/remixing.

To that end, in an Introduction to Special Education course, the instructor used IRIS Center resources as their primary course text/resource. To add the local/state context, they assigned students to create resource guides that went with each course topic using other OERs of their choosing. The student-produced resource guides were created in Google Sites (free of charge) and expanded upon IRIS Center resources by sharing local/state interpretations of legislation, supports, best practices, and examples. The resource guides contained interactive features such as hyperlinks to other websites, podcasts, and videos. Students were also encouraged to create and embed podcasts and videos. Throughout the term, the instructor scaffolded students by providing them with periodic feedback, suggestions for resources, and by creating time for them to workshop their resource guides with one another. At the end of the semester, student volunteers put together a “best of the best” Google Site that highlighted the student-created resources that students found to be most helpful. This Google Site then served as the foundation for future courses as the resource guide and the website continued to be reviewed and revised.

Instructions to students

Imagine that you are a parent/guardian, and your child is struggling in school. You are trying to navigate getting help for your child. The first thing many of us would do is open up a browser and start researching. Your task for this series of assignments is to take what you are learning in this course and channel it into something useful and practical—the creation of a web-based resource guide intended to inform parents about the why, what, and how of getting their child support, regardless of whether they have a disability or not, because if a student is struggling, this is a sign they need something.

Your resource guide will explain the special education process, working with students with disabilities, those that are gifted and talented and English language learners along with Sect. 504, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and other legislation that supports the success of all learners. In the spirit of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), you may include elements in your resource guides that are typed, video, and/or audio. The resource guides will be created in a Google Site (web site) that you will create free of charge using your student Google Account.

The goal is for you to leave this course with a resource guide that you can use in your future work. A secondary goal is to use the information you include in your resource guides to create a course Google Site that highlights the student-created resources that you found to be most helpful. This Google Site will then serve as the foundation for future courses as the resource guide project continues, and the website will be continuously reviewed and revised. Your instructor will need student volunteers to assist with the creation/updating of the course Google Site. Please let me know if you are interested. Course extra credit will be provided for anyone who volunteers.

Before you get started, it is imperative that you understand your audience as you are creating the content for your resource guide. Avoid educational jargon as much as possible while still maintaining a professional tone and including appropriate academic language. To that end, I would encourage you to do some research on your own and see what others in your state/region are putting on their district websites. In addition, review the respective state agency websites related to supporting students with disabilities. You might ask teachers you know and others who work in schools for feedback and/or ideas. You may direct your site to either elementary, middle school, or high school students and their parents/guardians. PLEASE be creative—the more professional, yet engaging, a site is, the more comforted a parent/guardian will feel!

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Clinton-Lisell, V., Legerski, E.M., Rhodes, B., Gilpin, S. (2021). Open Educational Resources as Tools to Foster Equity. In: Ozaki, C.C., Parson, L. (eds) Teaching and Learning for Social Justice and Equity in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69947-5_15

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  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-69946-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-69947-5

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)