Introduction

The mission of the Driving Open Educational Resources for Sustaining Student Success (DOERS) Research Working Group is to amplify and enable effective research in the field of open education. This book embodies our purpose by partnering to surface research methodologies and tools that advance the transparency and coherence of projects undertaken by open education scholars. This volume is the culmination of that work, as we share inquiries, findings, and reflections on the changing nature of open education research.

The Research Working Group’s earliest efforts focused on improving the quality and consistency of research related to Open Educational Resources (OER). One key project examined course marking practices—how institutions identify courses as zero-cost, low-cost, or high-cost—and whether these designations align across systems and states. Drawing on a national survey of DOERS members, the Research Working Group’s Infrastructure subgroup cataloged the terminology and thresholds used in these designations. The work revealed considerable differences in terminology. We viewed these differences as evidence of the creativity and complexity that characterize the field of open. These differences underscore a central challenge for those undertaking and sharing open education research: without shared vocabulary and research methodologies, it is difficult to gather consistent, comparable data on the impact of open educational practices on student success.

DOERS’ work also exists within a broader conversation about meaning and practice in open education. While the meaning of “open” remains contested, dynamic, and deeply contextual, Cronin and Czerniewicz remind us in Higher Education for Good that there is no escaping the need to name things. Every research project contributes to that naming and meaning making. Scholars bring their contextualized perspectives to defining and redefining what openness means in practice.

Across disciplines—from chemistry and psychology to art history and nursing—research into open education continues to surface both alignment and divergence. Rather than attempting to impose standardized vocabulary and practices for use in research that brings many disciplines to the crossroads (Cronin & Czerniewicz, 2024), this collection of case studies seeks to invite readers to come alongside scholars in their worlds, traveling with them as they speak the research language of their respective disciplines.

We value the role that consistent vocabulary and methodologies play in the enactment of impactful and effective open education research. It is our earnest hope that bringing scholars from a variety of disciplines to the same table will help us engage with and mutually shape shared practices that include the rich traditions of the many disciplines that move in and among the field of open education. This collection is unlikely to provide a cohesive answer to questions that emerged in previous DOERS Research Working Group projects; however, we believe that a good question is sometimes more impactful than an answer. As you engage with the scholars whose work is included in this collection, we expect that you will find your way to both good questions and meaningful answers that strengthen your own open education practices.

We are fortunate to work in a rich, varied, and meaningful field. Engaging with our differences makes us stronger (Thees, 2024). Identifying common experiences builds and strengthens connections within our higher education community. We seek to understand each other, rather than impose one standard way to talk about and enact this work. In this way DOERS furthers meaningful contributions to student success by preserving, respecting, and celebrating differences.

“I don’t know everything, but I know more than I did on the train on Tuesday.” Dr. Mags Amond

Czerniewicz, L. & Cronin, C. (Eds). (2023). Higher Education for Good: Teaching and Learning Futures. Open Book Publishers.

Cronin, C. (2024, April 23). OER24 keynote resources – The future isn’t what it used to be: Open education at a crossroads. Catherine Cronin. https://catherinecronin.net/conferences/post-oer24-keynote/