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