For decades, OER have been highlighted as adaptable learning materials that can fit different contexts and needs. But this is not always reflected in the OER we present to faculty. The glossy, textbook-shaped OER that we like to showcase do not align with the variety of excellent teaching practices and materials that educators actually use. When we call out quality through similarities to textbooks, we conflict with the purpose of open education: to empower educators and improve access for students.
In this session, we explore collective conceptions of OER–what they are, what they can be, and how quality is defined. The “ideal” OER does not need to be a textbook with homework software. To support better teaching, what we need are infrastructures that support diverse needs. Participants who join this discussion will have the chance to voice their perspectives on how we can empower educators to implement a variety of teaching and learning materials and approaches, not just textbooks.
Attendees of this session will be able to:- Articulate issues regarding how we as open practitioners and advocates miss opportunities to uplift small-scale OER;.
- Recognize opportunities to engage with and support community-driven and alternative open education projects;.
- Reflect on their current practices for developing and talking about “high quality OER; and.
- List three or more potential paths forward for individuals and the open education community around the topic of quality and opportunity for OER.
