Day/Time/Room
May 16, 2024 | 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. | Heritage Gallery
Title: Growing OER Publishing Programs: Watershed Decisions that Drive Impact
Presenters:
- Shane Nackerud (he/him), Director, Affordable Learning and Open Education (ALOE), University of Minnesota Libraries
- Kathy Essmiller (she/hers), Coordinator, OpenOKState | OER Librarian, Oklahoma State University Libraries
- Ryan Otto (he/him), Scholarly Communication and Digital Scholarship Librarian, Kansas State University Libraries
- Julie Curtis (she/her), VP Growth & Strategy, Pressbooks
Description: When institutions embark on OER publishing programs, they navigate challenges and leverage opportunities that drive towards their desired impact. They encounter inflection points for overcoming obstacles and building momentum. This session invites attendees to join in conversation with OER publishing practitioners about key, “watershed” decisions that have shaped the course of their work implementing OER publishing programs as they seek impact, scale, and sustainability.
Libraries and OER publishing programs are frequently at the forefront of promoting open educational resources (OER). Often rooted in common goals for improving textbook affordability, increasing access, supporting equitable student success, and advancing scholarship, strategic “watershed” decisions around OER publishing programs have the power to establish policy and infrastructure, influence practice, and inspire culture change.
This session will facilitate organic dialogue between panelists and audience members using a modified, participatory “fishbowl” format that taps into the rich experience represented in LPF attendees. The session will surface insights about essential decision points and success factors that have been most effective helping OER publishing programs achieve impact. Key themes include:
- What was a “watershed” decision that shifted the trajectory of what you could accomplish (around policy, infrastructure, practice, culture, support, etc.), and why was that moment so impactful?
- What single thing has been most impactful in your program’s success?
- What have you learned about measuring impact and demonstrating the value of your initiative?
- How have diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility figured into goals, key decisions, and/or evolution of your program and the impact you’re trying to make?
- How have you linked your program to broader strategic goals of your institution?
- What do you wish someone had told you when you were starting out in this work?
- What watershed decisions do you see ahead?