From “equitable access” models to anti-DEI mandates and limited infrastructure funding, navigating policy barriers to Open Education Practices (OEP) while working to sustain engagement and increase adoption is challenging work.
Drawing on a statewide student textbook survey, an institutional faculty survey, and practitioner experiences, this session highlights tensions between affordability, access, academic freedom, and student choice.
A case study examines how the implementation of a campus-funded “equitable access” program dampened advocacy for, adoption of, and engagement with OEP. While often framed as affordability solutions, these programs can create structural and political barriers for OER advocacy, particularly when institutions constrain messaging tied to bookstore partnerships.
Participants will reflect on how context shapes OER work and engage in discussion about navigating different types of policy constraints.
Attendees of this session will be able to:- Interpret a case study on student and faculty perspectives on cost, access, and course materials.
- Reflect on the ways institutional context shapes OER work.
- Consider potential approaches for navigating barriers to OER engagement.
- Engage in discussion with peers about these issues.
