Equity in Open Education Resources: Textbook Creation and Classroom Implementation

Oregon’s statewide Open Education Resource (OER) program received funding through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief program and the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) in the U.S. Department of Education. It supported faculty authors from Oregon community colleges and universities, to develop high-quality, accessible open educational resources with an equity, diversity, and inclusion lens for Sociology, Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS), and Criminal Justice (CJ) courses. Presenter Forbes was a Sociology text peer reviewer and co-author of the Sociology of Gender textbook.

Faculty often assume their course is more equitable when they adopt affordable materials, as affordable materials remove a significant barrier to success. However, an open license does not ensure the materials or design are inclusive of our diverse students. In Sociology, HDFS, and CJ courses, students are often preparing for careers in teaching, social work, human services, and other helping professions. As we teach our students to be empathetic and equity-centered in their work as caring professionals, we lead by example. This includes authoring and incorporating equity centered materials, which represent perspectives and experiences not often included in current materials.

In this symposium session, the presenter will discuss the successes and challenges of this statewide innovative teaching project. They will share varying experiences and perspectives in discussing the OER creation and implementation process, which had intentional inclusion of diverse identities and experiences.

Symposium attendees will gain knowledge of the OER creation process, including funding, recruitment, outline creation, writing, editing, publication, and ultimately, classroom use. Tips for accessing OERs and incorporating identity, equity, and diversity in attendee’s professional work will also be addressed by the dynamic presenter Forbes.