2024 Open Education Conference

Innovative research designs are needed to understand the experiences of teachers using OER in challenging contexts like the economic and refugee crisis in Lebanon. This presentation will showcase the use of photovoice in a research collaboration with Lebanese Alternative Learning (LAL), a local nonprofit that formed a knowledge partnership with teachers through Tabshoura, a digital learning platform that houses content aligned with the Lebanese curriculum for K-9 students. Photovoice invites participants to submit a photo and a brief caption in response to a prompt in order to share their full experiences. This approach captured how OER that is created locally with and for teachers can empower teachers to fill in the gaps for students who have been prevented from attending school consistently. This project centers the experiences of teachers to support LAL’s efforts in growing Tabshoura and to further understanding of how OER can support teachers in opening education for all.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Understand the importance of local OER in non-Western contexts.
• Recognize the innovative uses of OER in Lebanon.
• Design and conduct research using photovoice.
• Evaluate teachers’ experiences with OER for continued growth of OER.