OEGlobal 2024

The goal of this presentation is to share the experience of librarians across Europe in co-designing and co-facilitating a series of workshops open to anyone to build basic open education skills.

The workshop series "Embrace the Open" is designed to catalyse a transformative movement within the field of librarianship and broader educational communities by promoting Open Education and the co-creation of Open Educational Resources (OER). Hosted by ENOEL—European Network of Open Education Librarians—this initiative is pivotal in introducing practitioners to the essentials of open educational practices and facilitating the development of a robust, interconnected community. The “Embrace the Open” series of interactive workshops aims at empowering librarians and educators through multiple strategic approaches.

Firstly, the series champions self-education and community-led learning, enabling participants to cultivate a sustainable learning environment within their institutions. By leveraging the collective expertise and experiences of the community, the workshops facilitate a rich exchange of knowledge, effectively capitalising on peer-to-peer learning modalities. A critical component of the series is its crowdsourcing strategy, which aims to bridge the existing gaps within individual and institutional practices across different countries. By collecting and disseminating best practices, collaboration tools, and processes from across the continent, the workshops intend to create a repository of accessible and practical resources.

This initiative not only addresses the immediate needs of the community but also ensures a continuous improvement and adaptation of educational practices. Moreover, the series places a significant emphasis on recognising and rewarding librarian practitioners, many of whom lack such acknowledgement within their home institutions. By spotlighting these individuals and providing them with opportunities to enhance their professional portfolios, the workshops serve a dual purpose of reward and recognition, thereby enhancing motivation and fostering a sense of achievement among practitioners.

The scalability of "Embrace the Open" is a key feature, designed to extend its reach and impact beyond the immediate ENOEL circles to a broader audience. This open and inclusive approach ensures that the benefits of the workshops are not confined to a limited group but are accessible to a wider community, thus maximising the potential for widespread adoption and adaptation of open educational practices. In our presentation, we will employ an "expectations vs. reality" narrative to offer an authentic view of the processes, challenges, and rewards associated with this initiative.

We will discuss both the expected outcomes and the unforeseen gains and difficulties encountered, providing insights into the practical aspects of initiating and scaling such a series. The narrative will also highlight how certain low-hanging fruits were utilised to kickstart the series effectively, ensuring immediate benefits while setting the stage for long-term success.



Included in [Session 4E]: Developing Skills in OE

References
European Network of Open Education Librarians. (2023, June 16). ENOEL WS#1 - Embrace the Open: An Introduction to Open Textbooks. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8046785

European Network of Open Education Librarians. (2023, July 17). ENOEL WS#2 - Embrace the Open: How to organise your Open Textbook pilot. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8153757

European Network of Open Education Librarians. (2023, September 12). ENOEL WS#3 - Embrace the Open: How the Open Textbook publishing kitchen works. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8338085

European Network of Open Education Librarians. (2024, January 26). ENOEL WS#4 - Embrace the Open: OE Librarianship 101. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10573410

European Network of Open Education Librarians. (2024, March 7). ENOEL WS#5 - Embrace the Open: Finding OER. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10803062

European Network of Open Education Librarians. (2024, March 20). ENOEL WS#6 - Embrace the Open: (Re-)using and creating OER. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10845596

European Network of Open Education Librarians. (2024, April 18). ENOEL WS#7 - Embrace the Open: Sharing OER. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10991226

European Network of Open Education Librarians. (n.d.). ENOEL Workshops: "Embrace the Open" Workshop Series [Video playlist]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbvdC-WdvjAjR0aYZYQ4an1x4L3dU0gjv

Author Keywords
community-led learning, crowdsourcing strategy, librarians, scalability, open practices

Since 2012, KPU has enjoyed significant and growing interest and support for Open Education and KPU’s commitment to Open Education has flourished. The university now offers an array of grants, learning opportunities, and support for faculty to actively participate in Open Educational Resources (OER) creation and Open Pedagogy. However, our current methods for gauging faculty engagement in Open Education—such as ZTC course tracking, grant applications, workshop attendance, and consultations—rely on faculty self-initiation. These approaches may not capture the full spectrum of open education practices, as not all ZTC pathways necessitate faculty involvement in Open Education.

In 2024, KPU Open embarked on a research endeavor to gain deeper insights into the open education practices adopted by KPU faculty, their modes of engagement, and their support requirements. This presentation aims to share our findings and methodologies used to assess the level of faculty engagement with open education related practices at KPU. By understanding how faculty are practicing Open Education, we can tailor our support mechanisms to align with faculty needs, enhance our processes, and foster opportunities for faculty development and engagement.

The initial phase of our study aimed to identify the specific open education practices that KPU faculty are currently engaged in and explore the nuances of their involvement. Additionally, we sought to determine the distribution of Open Education practitioners across different faculties. This was done through a survey which employed Likert scales to gauge faculty agreement with key statements, beliefs, and approaches related to open education, and multiple-choice questions to explore how faculty engage in open education practices. The survey framework followed the AIDA (Attention, Interest, Design, Action) model, ensuring a comprehensive assessment.

The second part of our study involved evaluating the effectiveness of the support provided by KPU Open. We invited participants to join focus groups, providing an opportunity to delve deeper into their support needs. Additionally, we assessed the efficacy of KPU Open's existing support mechanisms, including workshops and other resources.

By identifying faculty engaged in open education practices, KPU Open can tailor its support services more effectively. Adequate support ensures faculty success in implementing open education initiatives. Additionally, knowing the distribution of open education practitioners across faculties enables targeted collaboration. We can work strategically with each faculty to reduce barriers and encourage further engagement with open education. Participants actively involved in open education practices were be invited to join a community of practice, fostering peer learning and collaboration.

Our research project gave us insight into open education practices at KPU that we previously had no way of knowing, and allowed us to optimize support mechanisms and empower faculty to embrace open education fully. By doing so, we contribute to a more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable open educational environment.



Included in [Session 4E]: Developing Skills in OE

Author Keywords
research, open educational practices, sustainability