Traditional course materials are expensive. They are also biased towards white, male, heteronormative perspectives at the expense of marginalised contributors, particularly in STEM disciplines. This mis/underrepresentation results in the devaluation of student voice and identity, negatively impacting academic performance. Open Educational Resources (OERs) that are intentional in their connection with social justice can be an essential strategy in improving access and a sense of belonging in course materials as well as the classroom, enabling deeper engagement with course content. This presentation explores two innovative STEM initiatives focused on adapting and co-creating OERs in pursuit of inclusion, decolonisation, improved epistemic representation and inclusive pedagogy in the curriculum. It explores students’ perceptions of power dynamics in the process of knowledge co-creation and draws attention to issues related to institutional transformation and sustainability.
Attendees of this session will be able to:- Engage with the ‘students as partners’ theoretical domain as pertains to power and belonging.
- Draw insights on two initiatives addressing power and belonging in two different countries – South Africa and United States - and different institutional contexts.
- Consider the unique challenges and opportunities of STEM-intensive education to pursue co-creation and collaboration across student-faculty-staff roles and create more equity and representation in STEM curriculum.
- Engage in knowledge-sharing activities around open education initiatives for social justice with colleagues at their home institutions.
- Acknowledge, address, and act in one’s own context regarding belonging, power dynamics, and social justice.
