Contributed by Rachel Becker

How many times have you heard a student say “I didn’t buy the textbook. I can’t afford it.” Have you even said those words yourself? Textbooks touch almost every aspect of a college or university. Some might seem obvious such as the bookstore, students, and faculty, while others might have important perspectives or insights to share but are often left out of the conversation. For example, OER creation and adoption can affect disability services staff who might work on making textbooks accessible for students, or advisors working with students to select courses. Building, growing, and maintaining a robust OER program takes a high level of organization and support from many departments. Fully identifying and speaking with stakeholder groups can lead to a more successful OER program by incorporating diverse perspectives. This can increase OER awareness and create connections with groups outside of specific service areas directly impacted by textbooks. Thinking creatively and listening openly can bolster stakeholder buy-in for current and future OER initiatives. 

This may sound like a great idea; but how does someone get started on it? I’ll share a workflow I developed during a project for the SPARC Open Education Leadership Program. Although this is an ongoing effort and one that may never be finished, this is how I started. 

Make a List and Check it Twice

Start by making a list of all stakeholders. This could take any form; a simple written list, sticky notes, a spreadsheet, or a word cloud. Being creative with this portion can generate new ideas or insights into who might have an impact on the OER program. I prefer sticky notes which allow me to rearrange and group different constituents together. As you add departments add names of key positions/contacts to the list or sticky note. This book chapter might be helpful in framing your groups.

Making Contact

Next, send an introductory email to the contacts identified in the previous step. I drafted a concise email sharing a bit about my role in OER/textbook development, asking for a short conversation to get their perspective, and suggesting a 30-minute meeting. I received a positive response and was able to schedule brief meetings. In some cases, I was put in contact with additional people who provided even more perspectives and as I gathered more I added them to the ever-expanding list.

Conversations

Since I want honest feedback from stakeholders I prefer to keep my starting questions basic. Usually, the first question is something along the lines of “when you hear the term ‘OER’ what comes to mind?” This allows me to get a baseline sense of their understanding and I encourage them to ask questions. The next few questions are focused on understanding how OER can benefit or perhaps adversely impact their work or department. Sometimes specific pain points come up that OER could help ease. Other times, initiatives are identified that OER could fit into. My goal is to openly listen and not “sell” OER during these conversations. I want to truly understand the unique perspectives each stakeholder brings to the table. 

Follow Up

After each meeting, I take notes and identify talking points or potential areas for further development. A follow-up email thanking the stakeholder for their time and offering your contact information for further OER questions can be a nice way to round out the connection. 

Identify Trends

As you hear from additional stakeholders trends will emerge. Often faculty and administrators will identify concerns around funding for OER development. Students might say OER is fantastic and they hope the institution provides more funding for it. Perhaps a student or faculty member has used it in the past and can share their experience with the process. Keep track of trends and think about how you might address these. If a lack of funding is hindering development or adoption perhaps speaking with the Grants department might help secure more funding. Or students might want more basic OER talking points to share with their faculty and fellow students on the benefits of OER. Paying attention to the big picture and climate can bolster support going forward.

Keep it Rolling

The first conversations might be done but don’t let it stop here. Circle back when new opportunities emerge for groups and reach out as new people fill positions. Keep the conversations flowing by following up and getting specific feedback on projects. This can be a great way to build broader support across campus and ensure you are shaping a program that is truly responsive to your users’ needs. 

Final Thoughts

Bringing stakeholders into the OER conversation has many advantages but can be daunting. Starting slowly and using empathetic listening can both help make the process easier. Being open to hearing challenges and concerns will allow customization of OER outreach and ultimately help make education better for everyone.  

Rachel Becker is the Copyright and OER Librarian at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, WI. A graduate of the SPARC Open Educational Leadership program, she’s a passionate advocate for affordable and open learning materials. Rachel enjoys working with students and faculty on finding solutions to educational barriers and empowering curiosity-driven academic research. In her free time, she spends time with her two cats Babs and Belle, plays video games with her spouse, and watches movies. 

This post is by Rachel Becker and is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, except where otherwise indicated. Please reference OER and Beyond and use this URL when attributing this work; for more information on licensing, see our Open Access Policy.