Cracking The Disciplines Open: How I’m Bringing Open into Political Science, and Why You Should Consider Cracking Your Field Open, Too
Presenters: Shawna Brandle
I have found adopting open educational practices (OEP) into my own teaching to be incredibly rewarding for myself and for my students, yet I have struggled with the disconnect between what I get so excited about in my own classroom and in open education circles versus what I find happening in the wider discipline of political science. This lightning talk analyzes the current lack of OEP in political science, identifies several of the barriers keeping OEP from wider adoption, highlights the benefits of adopting OEP in political science, and describes the steps I have taken to begin to open up my discipline. These steps will be described specifically, so participants walk away with adaptable, actionable goals of their own that are appropriate for cracking open their own disciplines.
Learning Outcomes: Participants will be engaged in a rapid-fire presentation that will combine humor and data to make the case for why it is incumbent on open educators to begin cracking open their disciplines- it is not enough for us to just talk to each other. The talk will offer actionable steps for participants to adopt and adapt so they can share their open work more widely in their disciplines.
Attenuated Democracy: A New OER Textbook for U.S. Government Courses
Salt Lake Community College has published a new OER textbook for U.S. Government and Politics courses that consciously takes a new approach to the subject, resulting in a relevant and relatable textbook that appeals to students. This session describes the book itself as well as the collaborative process that connected the author, the editor, and OER support staff at the College. The book is available here: https://slcc.pressbooks.pub/attenuateddemocracy/
Learning Outcomes: Participants will be introduced to a new OER textbook published by Salt Lake Community College, including the need for this textbook, the process by which it was created, and the specific approach it takes.
