GoOpen Guidance: Maximizing the Impact of Digital Access and Inclusion by Using OER

The GoOpen National Network is launching an important strategic policy action to advocate for integrating OER into digital equity implementations at a time when states are specifying their Digital Equity Plans. Funded by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, P.L. 117-58), the Digital Equity Act of 2021 requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish grant programs for promoting digital equity, supporting digital inclusion activities, and building capacity for state-led efforts to increase adoption of broadband by their residents. The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program will be making distributions to states based on their populations, demographics, and availability and adoption of broadband. The Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program will also support efforts to achieve digital equity, promote digital inclusion, and stimulate adoption of broadband. This federal funding can provide an unprecedented opportunity to realize the full educational potential of expanding digital access and inclusion not only through connectivity and IT devices, but also through the integration of OER.

Material Type: Reading

Author: GoOpen National Network

#GoOpen Digital Equity Plan Toolkit 2022

This practical toolkit is designed to support open education leaders and community members across states and districts interested to increase awareness of OER and digital equity. It contains talking points, sample newsletter or website language, and sample social media posts, for anyone to use and adapt in their communications. In October 2022, the #GoOpen National Network launched an important strategic policy action to advocate for integrating OER into digital equity implementations and this toolkit supports the network's communications strategies. Funded by the federal bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, P.L. 117-58), the Digital Equity Act of 2021 requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish grant programs for promoting digital equity, supporting digital inclusion activities, and building capacity for state-led efforts to increase adoption of broadband by their residents. As states craft their Digital Equity Plans, they have a unique opportunity to leverage OER to support equity and capitalize on improved digital infrastructure. The #GoOpen Policy Letter and Guidance documents were shared with state level IT and broadband infrastructure leaders across the country and are available as resources featured in the #GoOpen Hub on OER Commons.

Material Type: Reading

Author: GoOpen National Network

OER Options for District Adoption - GoOpen Remix

These are full-course openly licensed resources for districts interested in exploring OER options when considering core instructional materials for district adoption.

Material Type: Full Course

Author: Barbara Soots

OER Licensing Checklist - GoOpen Remix

Use this checklist to make sure that all the requirements for open licensing are met. Please note that it is very helpful to review this checklist BEFORE you begin development work so that you are designing your resource with open licensing requirements in mind from the beginning.

Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy

Author: Barbara Soots

Professional Learning Course : Culturally Responsive Practices to Improve the Online Teaching and Learning Experiences

Module home primarily starts with introduction and pronunciation of individual names cultivating scopes for interaction and sharing views. Breaker room discussions  generate initial thoughts, prior experiences and storytelling among learners from all walks of life. Each section of the module has relevant scholarly readings along with educational YouTube videos to facilitate the learners. Besides, discussion assignments, interactive sessions, in every module one homogenous group learner get the chance to present intercultural sessions with another homogenous group. For the final project requirement learners will design 5 online modules embedded with CRT online learning to demonstrate their application of knowledge. Finally, assessment questions provided for interactive interview and certification.  

Material Type: Module

Authors: Elicia Bennett, shopto rahman

The Role of School Librarians in OER Curation: A Framework to Guide Practice

This document is an evidence-based guide that outlines the practical and policy supports needed to enable K-12 school librarians to take on leadership roles around OER, and to support OER curation efforts by librarians and all educators. This guide is based on a study led by ISKME (iskme.org) in collaboration with Florida State University's School of Information. The study is titled “Exploring OER Curation and the Role of School Librarians". ISKME designs guides and toolkits that help educators navigate and implement new teaching and learning practices. Grounded in research, our evidence-based guides and toolkits help articulate what actually works in real education settings—and are tailored to the unique professional learning needs of our clients and their stakeholders. The study was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (www.imls.gov), under grant number LG-86-17-0035-17. The findings and recommendations expressed in this document do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Material Type: Case Study, Teaching/Learning Strategy

Author: ISKME

OER-DEIA Action Plan for K-12 District Implementation

This guide is intended as a strategic planning tool for district leaders wishing to promote the already pedagogically and financially compelling practice of creating or adapting open educational resources (OER) to help achieve district goals in serving all students through diversity, equity, inclusion, or accessibility (DEIA) lens.  The guide provides step-by-step planning tools, including examples, templates, and resources to help district leaders articulate and establish action plans for what we refer to as "OER-DEIA."  The entire guide is an open educational resource itself, free and openly licensed for reuse, remixing, and resharing.

Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy

Authors: Rebecca Henderson, Amee Godwin

Inclusive Design for Learning: An educator's guide to Open Educational Resources (OER)

In this guide you will learn about:What makes an educational resource open; Why OERs are important in the practice of Inclusive Design for Learning; How to find and use OERs; How to jump in and make your own OER.

Material Type: Module

Author: Caren Watkins

Utah Education Network

The Utah Education Network has links to  resources that have been developed by teachers and others in Utah, as well as a listing of collection sites where teachers can look for items to link to.

Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy

DEVELOPING EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

The limited series of podcasts including downloadable documents are meant for teachers teaching internally displaced learners 13 to 19 years of age. The modules titled Education and Employment, Health and Wellness, Preserving Environment and Self-employment make the teachers aware of skills in demand, employment avenues, and strategies that can be adopted by teachers.   You can listen to the episodes on OER Commons, Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.      

Material Type: Full Course, Lecture Notes, Teaching/Learning Strategy

Author: POONAM VOHRA

GoOpen National Network ESRA Reauthorization Comment Letter

On April 4, 2023, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee sent a letter to the Education Community seeking input on policies that the Committee should consider during the reauthorization of the Education Sciences Reform Act, including the Educational Technical Assistance Act and the National Assessment of Education Progress Authorization Act, from early learning through postsecondary education.To inform the Committee's work, they invited input on several specific questions.  In response, the #GoOpen National Network composed and submitted this letter in an effort to help the Committee recognize the pivotal role that Open Educational Resources can and should play in promoting and supporting student success.  The letter also highlights four specific ways that ESRA can support the use of high-quality OER by students, families, and educators.

Material Type: Reading

Authors: Rebecca Henderson, Amee Godwin

Resource Evaluation Guide

Use this guide to evaluate open education resources (OER) according to five criteria: credibility, relevance, learning and support features, accessibility, and openness. The guide will help curriculum developers and teachers think through important considerations when using OER. It was developed through a process of literature review, aggregation of similar tools, and direct input from educators in an EdTech Maker Space, under the Teaching Skills That Matter (TSTM)-SkillBlox Instructional Support Pilot.

Material Type: Reading

Author: World Education

Resources and Information about the Digital Equity Act

World Education's Transforming Immigrant Digital Equity (TIDE) project aims to support service providers, policy makers, institutional decision-makers, and advocates for re-envisioning adult education, digital equity, and immigration at the national, state, and local levels. On the TIDE website, there are informative resources for those who are new to the Digital Equity Act along with resources that support advocacy efforts.

Material Type: Reading

Author: World Education

GoOpen National Network Letter on OER and Digital Equity

The GoOpen National Network is disseminating this letter to state leads of broadband, IT and digital equity to consider OER in their Digital Equity Plans during 2022-2023. The letter can be copied and customized for those interested in communicating and advocating with state leaders about OER awareness and the potential benefits of OER integration into state plans. Read the accompanying GUIDANCE document: https://www.oercommons.org/courses/goopen-guidance-maximizing-the-impact-of-digital-access-and-inclusion-by-using-oer?__hub_id=97 BACKGROUND: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“IIJA”, P.L. 117-58) requires State Digital Equity Plans to identify barriers to broadband and device equity and accessibility. The plans must also feature objective measures of educational, workforce, health, and other benefits derived from closing connectivity gaps. Requiring or encouraging open licensing of digital materials, such as high-quality educational materials, is a powerful policy strategy for magnifying the educational and other social impacts of broadband access and inclusivity. With this goal as our guide, the #GoOpen National Network encourages you to work with the education leaders in your state to make open educational resources and other openly licensed materials a key element of your state’s Digital Equity Plan.

Material Type: Reading

Author: GoOpen National Network