Inclusive open education: presumptions, principles, and practices

ABSTRACT

Open education has long been forwarded as a producer of equity. However, there currently exists a lack of critical engagement with issues of justice in open educational practices (OEP). Although the affordances of open education have potential for increasing equity, creating knowledge alongside learners is inherently rife with complexities for inclusion and diversity. As online faculty build relationships with and between students and engage in unconventional but authentic instruction, they must be cognizant of the ways in which historically underrepresented populations are systematically marginalized and might be excluded from full participation. This article seeks to investigate tensions at the nexus of OEP and social justice, identify underlying principles of inclusive OEP, and offer initial strategies on using OEP inclusively and in alignment with a social justice framework.

KEYWORDS:

• marginalization
• open education
• open educational practices
• open pedagogy
• social identity
• social justice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was declared by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Benjamin Croft

Benjamin Croft is the data scientist at Boise State University. His work focuses on education research, online pedagogy and instructional design, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. With his professional history in secondary and postsecondary instruction and administration, education justice is crucial to his pedagogy.

Monica Brown

Monica Brown is the OER Coordinator for Boise State University. Prior to her work in online education, Monica taught and specialized in first year writing and writing center studies. She has an MA in English from Boise State University.