Eliminating the barrier of cost is a tangible way to support student success, and in approaching learning from an antiracist and equitable perspective, access simply is not enough. We must thoughtfully consider what material is presented to students, amplify the voices and perspectives most often left out of learning materials, and ensure students are reflected.
The next three pages will explore how we can apply the open concept to more than just our textbooks and learning materials, and how open enables us to shift our approach to teaching and learning.
Open pedagogy applies the 5 Rs of OER (free to reuse, revise, remix, redistribute, and retain) to support effective teaching and learning. This can be accomplished by doing away with disposable assignmentsLinks to an external site. and through the use of meaningful assignments where students add value to the world through their work.
What are disposable assignments, anyway?
Disposable assignments are those assignments students work very hard preparing, you work hard grading, and then, that's it. After all that effort, we hope students have retained what they learned, and we simply move forward.
We can leverage these assignments to become pieces that contribute to more learning in the world in the form of openly licensed materials. That way, students' learning supports further learning, and students become active contributors in your field.
To learn more, read this resource which further explains Non-Disposable vs. Disposable assignments, prepared by Aloha Sargent. Or, you can watch Rajiv Jhangiani (Links to an external site.) describe open pedagogy. This clip (14 minutes) is part of a longer keynote that Jhangiani gave at the University of Waterloo.
Open pedagogy opens the door to creativity
The exciting thing about open pedagogy is there's no single way to apply these principles!
Antiracism and Open Pedagogy
Open pedagogy views students as "co-creators of knowledge" and as "critical and reflective participants in the learning process" as described by Paulo Freire in "Pedagogy of the OppressedLinks to an external site.." From this perspective, the classroom becomes an anti-oppressive space where students actively construct meaning.
Please watch the following presentation (7:55) by Nicolas P. Simon about how OER and Open Pedagogy can be leveraged to advance social justice.
After reflecting on Simon's presentation, consider how you may leverage OER and/or open pedagogy for social justice.