Institutional Open Textbook Recommendations: making the most of technology, curriculum and equity
Channel: Open Educational Practice Special Interest Group
Date: 2022-05-25

This presentation discusses how Institutions can make the most of Open Textbooks, by thinking of them as broader in scope than an education technology project.

The scoping study found that OER texts and diversified open access reading lists can provide social justice benefits specific to under-represented, under-resourced and international students because they can reduce the costs of study and increase a sense of belonging through the removal of racist and sexist stereotypes in outdated curriculum materials. It also found that OER texts and diversified open access reading lists can provide an additional specific set of more general benefits to all students: access to free resources with no digital licencing restrictions, seamless integration of resources into the LMS and enhanced graduate outcomes. Therefore, the study found that social justice principles relating to the cost and socio-cultural relevance of University texts and readings can be a transformative strategy to address digital access, learning material costs and more equitable, inclusive blended and online learning experiences for Higher Education students.

To get the most out of Open Textbook’s potential for institutional transformation, a number of institutional recommendations are made covering strategy, policy and implementation. They all stem from the core recommendation to re-frame Open Textbooks as strategic digital innovation linking digital delivery with curriculum renewal and equity/accessibility policies. The presentation will explore each recommendation in some detail and reflect on the differences with other contexts such as the U.S.A which has state-based legislature to promote the use of OER – something not possible in all contexts.

While large-scale institutional investments in open textbook authoring programs have many benefits, our results extend the international literature by finding that open textbook initiatives can be an enabler, connecting other institutional policies and strategic initiatives, such as students as partners, inclusive digital learning experiences, and equity and diversity policies. There are also opportunities to integrate diversification of reading lists and smaller-scale open textbook initiatives into regular staff teaching preparation and other existing resourced processes, such as revisions to assessment policy, major course review and new subject developments including transitioning subjects to distance/online learning.

Resources and References:

Cox, G., Masuku, B., & Willmers, M. (2020). Open textbooks and social justice: open educational practices to address economic, cultural and political injustice at the university of Cape Town. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2020(1), 1–10. doi: 10.5334/jime.556
Lambert, S. R. and Fadel, H. (2022) Open textbooks and social justice: a national scoping study. Perth, Australia.https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/open-textbooks-social-justice/
SPARC. (2021). OER State Policy Playbook. https://www.mpp.org/states/