Open Oregon Educational Resources is launching a new version of the Equity & Open Education Cohort Model, redesigned for teaching and learning support roles. Participants from non-classroom roles like librarians, instructional designers, disability services support and administration are invited to register. Registration opens today for the Spring 2022 cohort.
This professional development course was created by library faculty member Jen Klaudinyi at Portland Community College. The course explores how open educational practices and culturally responsive teaching approaches can improve curricular materials and remove barriers to student success. The core of the course is a four-week exploration in small groups to build learning communities that can dive into innovative ideas together. Optionally, participants may continue the course for another four weeks to implement their learning by revising or creating a professional development resource, OER and equity plan, or other relevant materials related to next-steps.
Funding Sources
Open Oregon Educational Resources offered four cohorts of the Equity and Open Education Faculty Cohort professional development course statewide with support from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The Hewlett funding also enabled us to contract with RMC Research to assess the impact of this model. Instruments to assess faculty and student impact are available to adopt/adapt, and a report will be ready to share later this spring.
Open Oregon Educational Resources received GEER funding to continue to offer faculty cohorts, and additionally to design a new version of the professional development course for teaching and learning support roles. The Equity and Open Education Faculty Cohort model seeks to transform curriculum by asking faculty to consider open educational practices with an equity lens, including universal design, cultural relevance, and diverse perspectives. The new version of the course for teaching and learning support seeks to help participants in non-classroom roles to support curricular transformation at their colleges using the same concepts.
Curriculum Development Timeline
- 2018-2019 – Jen developed and offered the EOE course at PCC with contributions from Kaela Parks and support from PCC’s OER Steering Committee and one-time, internal PCC funding.
- Summer 2020 – Received grant from Hewlett foundation and offered first statewide faculty cohort with 60 seats
- Fall 2020 – Convened curriculum advisory group for expert feedback on faculty course
- Winter break 2020-21 – Jen revised course based on expert feedback
- Winter 2021 – Offered second statewide faculty cohort
- Summer 2021 – Offered third statewide faculty cohort
- Winter 2022 – Offered fourth statewide faculty cohort; Convened curriculum advisory group for expert feedback on teaching and learning support course
- Spring 2022 – Launch teaching and learning support course
Next steps:
- Continue to offer the faculty course statewide two times per year
- Continue to offer the teaching and learning support course statewide once per year
- Work with RMC (external research firm) to share the impact of the model
- Seek a partner to launch a similar model in one other state/system.
Curriculum Review Process
The idea of inviting a curriculum advisory group to review the course and provide feedback was suggested by Angela DeBarger, Education Program Officer at The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Reviewers brought expertise in relevant areas and made suggestions that we could implement with confidence.
Thank you reviewers!
- Jaclyn Caires-Hurley, Assistant Professor, Multicultural Education, Western Oregon University
- Dionna Camp, Accessible Technology Specialist, Linn-Benton Community College
- Jason J. Dorsette, Executive Director, Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Linn-Benton Community College
- Kim Grewe, Instructional Designer, NOVA Online
- Kaela Parks, Director, Disability Services, Portland Community College
- Rudyane Rivera-Lindstrom, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission
- Colleen Sanders, Instructional Designer, Pierce College
- Veronica Vold, Open Education Instructional Designer, Open Oregon Educational Resources
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