OEGlobal 2024

In 2021-2024, The European Network of Open Education Librarians (ENOEL) developed, enhanced and maintained the OE Benefits Toolkit to help advocate for OE, consistently with Action Area 1 of the UNESCO OER Recommendation. The ENOEL Toolkit was initially designed to assist educational professionals in articulating the tangible benefits of Open Education—ranging from increased access to educational resources and improved learning outcomes to fostering a culture of co-creation and shared knowledge.

Members of the ENOEL invite participants to a collaborative wildcard activity aimed at discussing how to further promote the widespread adoption and understanding of Open Education (OE) by identifying and discussing the benefits for librarians in particular and above all the lessons learnt to date: discussing its applications and advocacy experiences that underscore the critical role of different stakeholders, especially librarians, in the OE movement.

Exploring the Benefits of OE on cards, participants will engage in structured discussions to identify and elaborate on specific benefits, fostering a deeper understanding of how these can be articulated in advocacy efforts, in line with the findings of SPARC Europe’s Report “Open Education in European Libraries of Higher Education 2023”. Attendees will examine and expand the evidence base supporting OE benefits by integrating both research and personal anecdotes, utilising tools and templates to document these insights. Participants are encouraged to share their own experiences and challenges in advocating for OER, discussing how the identified benefits can address existing barriers and enhance their advocacy strategies.

The ENOEL-designed Toolkit can become an essential resource for effectively communicating the value of Open Education. By outlining the diverse benefits for key stakeholders—including students, teachers, librarians, institutions, and citizens at large, —it provides a foundation for robust advocacy efforts. For the participants in this session, the Toolkit highlights their unique role in advocating for and advancing OE through its benefits.

This session offers the opportunity to share practical strategies for overcoming common challenges in the field and champion OE within their institutions and beyond, advocating for policies and practices that support OE. ENOEL members invite participants to collaboratively discuss the benefits collected in the toolkit, drawing from both evidence-based research and anecdotal experiences, to focus on a diverse range of contributions and take this opportunity to learn from peers coming from different geographical, historical, and social backgrounds. Participants will engage with the recently enriched list of benefits, evidence-based references, and templates for capturing anecdotal evidence. More specifically, attendees will review existing benefits, choose those that fit their context and discuss their implications. Using the Rolfe et al. reflective model, participants will be invited to articulate and record anecdotal benefits, enriching the evidence base with personal insights. Participants will also choose in parallel those benefits that they would see fit their context but are not there yet, and discuss with peers how to make them part of it, starting from their experiences.

This activity will use a dynamic, card-based discussion format to stimulate thought and facilitate the exchange of ideas.



Included in [Session 7E]: Practice and Policy in OE (workshops)

References
European Network of Open Education Librarians (2024), An ENOEL Toolkit: Open Education Benefits. Version 4. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5568482
Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001). Critical reflection in nursing and the helping professions: a user’s guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Treadway, J., Corti, P., & Proudman, V. (2024). Open Education in European Libraries of Higher Education 2023. Zenodo. https://zenodo.org/records/10889503

Author Keywords
Benefits of Open Education, Enhanced OE Toolkit resources, Lifelong and informal learning, Open educational practices, Open practitioners

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...” - Dr. Seuss, Oh the Places You’ll Go

Embark on a journey through the world of Open Education (OE) where your viewpoint shapes your path. This interactive session invites participants to walk a mile in the shoes of OE stakeholders and navigate through a series of scenarios, challenges, and plot twists. Through role-play and collaborative problem-solving, participants will gain insights into the diverse perspectives within the OE community and explore the impact of their roles on the collective journey. Each participant will be assigned a character and presented with a scenario that reflects real-world challenges and opportunities in the OE ecosystem including faculty/instructors, librarians, administrators, and more.

Through guided prompts and discussions, participants will reflect on the implications of their actions, both individually and collectively, and gain a deeper understanding of the complexities inherent in the adoption and implementation of Open Educational Practices.

Learning Outcomes:

• Explore different viewpoints within the OE community and understand the complexity faced by stakeholders.
• Identify strategies for overcoming challenges and fostering collaboration in OE initiatives.
• Reflect on personal biases towards OE stakeholders to be better equipped to navigate challenges and build partnerships.

Included in [Session 7A]: Pedagogy. Advocacy - (workshops and talk)

Author Keywords
Stakeholders, Viewpoints, Role-play, Collaborative Gameplay