By Cailyn Nagle

Just like the Little Black Dress (LBD), which has been a wardrobe essential for decades, foundational strategies in the open educational resources (OER) community are equally timeless and effective. While the silhouette, material, and styling has shifted with eras, the Little Black Dress remains a wardrobe-building keystone. Shifting from a conference presentation to an event gala context requires swapping out shoes and accessories, the LBD allows effortless transitions between day and night. As technology, governments, and society shifted the LBD remained. Sometimes, the classics are classics for a reason. Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with returning to a time-trusted foundational piece.

Factors Contributing to the Decrease in OER Awareness

For the first time since Bay View analytics began reporting on OER awareness, fewer faculty knew about or used OER materials. The dip was small, but it marked a change in an over a decade-long trend. Contributing factors include administrators taking control of materials assigned in courses. In the past, Bay View has reported on the increasing number of administrators who are playing a larger role in deciding which course materials will be used. Another factor is the increasing prevalence of automatic textbook billing. Advocates and practitioners should push against these factors, but they are long-term battles. We can also make daily impacts through the choices and tactics we use in our programs. Like the LBD, the OER community can revisit and refresh some of the trusted basics.

Recruitment: An Eternal Effort

As a community organizer, I learned another acronym: ABC or Always Be (re)Cruiting. Due to natural attrition, the volunteer pool would eventually dry up without a steady flow of new people. Along with dedicated recruitment drives throughout the year, recruitment was also an ongoing process. We cast a wide net with strong marketing and outreach, including follow-up and onboarding year-round, and incorporating recruitment across all activities.

Ways to Increase OER Capacity and Resources

OER community, bandwidth, capacity, and resources often limit the ability to incorporate these strategies. Not every OER program has the capacity to knock on the faculty doors, hold one-on-one conversations, or access customizable OER marketing materials. There is no quick fix for capacity, but the Michelson 20MM Foundation has included the creation of marketing and outreach materials in this year’s OER Spark Grant focus areas. We hope grants will provide the resources programs need to create and share those materials.  

Consistent new members means organizing creates engaging experiences for long-time volunteers while welcoming and orienting newcomers. Volunteer activities, from door knocking to panel events, begin with a baseline explanation of goals and training. New attendees can follow along, even if 90% of the crowd are experienced volunteers. Some OER events and conferences have stepped back from strong 101 programming in favor of advanced conversations on pedagogy, deep research, and other fascinating topics. Deeper engagement is needed, but our community must also extend a ladder to new members. These new OER-curious practitioners need to build the knowledge base that strengthens our movement.

Understanding What Motivates the OER Community

What are axioms but the reiteration of a classic concept into a memorable phrase? In “Axioms of Organizers,” community organizer Fred Ross Sr. quipped: “It’s the way people are that matters, not the way you’d like them to be.” In the OER world, community members often share what inspires and motivates them about open education. For some, it’s creating culturally responsive materials. For others, it’s the blurring of the lines between student and educator through the active knowledge creation of open pedagogy. For others, it is the global collaboration OER enables. 

These are strong motivators, but when growing our movement, we must focus the messaging on what motivates the gatekeepers of policies and resources. A recent report from Ithaka’s Dr Ioana Hulbert, Deirdre Harkins, and Dr. Mark McBride, “Charting the Course-Case Studies in OER Sustainability,” offers insights on how OER programs can build, thrive, and survive. One key finding speaks to Ross’ axiom, “OER initiatives flourish when they align with institutional priorities and are framed as a tool that can address several goals beyond affordability, such as advancing equity, access, or instructional innovation.” 

This often means identifying existing priorities for institutional leaders and tailoring OER messaging to what speaks most clearly to them. This concept holds true beyond courting administrators focused on completion rates or legislators concerned with student savings. The OER community must strategically shift focus to recruit and build the movement—from student government leaders to bookstore managers to department heads.

A Timeless Reminder to Step Back and Focus on Our Goals

Truth be told, I have six little black dresses. They include a gold beaded one from the 1980s with a matching bolero jacket, a simple eyelet one from the Gap, and an A-line beatnik with pink trimming from the 1960s. Basics are meant to be built upon and improved, but we never truly move past them. When unsure of my next steps, I step back, focus on my goals, and remember my three-letter fundamentals.

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About Michelson 20MM

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

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