What are Open Access Materials? Grounded in principles of pedagogy, Open access (OA) educational materials (also referred to as open educational resources) are materials for learning, teaching, and research that are intended to be in the public domain and under open license. Without restraints from copyright or cost, OA materials can be accessed and re-purposed by students, instructors, and support staff. Making educational material adaptive, collaborative, and community-informed, OA materials reach across fields of study.
The Digital Pedagogy Project supports ten different educators from Carleton University in the development of OA pilot projects. Over the course of the 2023-2024 academic year, instructors will be distributing the OA materials in their courses taught. Many of the instructors taking part in the project see open access materials as beneficial due to their low cost, remote accessibility, up-to-date content, and the possibility they have for community partnerships. The Digital Pedagogy Project will be giving a platform to and sharing the resources created throughout the various OA initiatives.
Taking the spirit of open access and translating it to the project, the Digital Pedagogy Project is aiming to facilitate a community of practice between the participants throughout the OA development and deployment process. Stay tuned for more information about the Open Access Materials made as a part of the project.