Reimagining Leadership in Open Education: Networking to Promote Social Justice and Systemic Change

Abstract

Challenging traditional notions of leadership, and leveraging non-hierarchical learning structures, the Regional Leaders of Open Education Network (RLOE) was created to bring together leaders from a broad diversity of institutions in the U.S. and Canada to build strategic plans for open education that especially support underserved and underrepresented students. All members of the network, including an advisory team, collaborators, student mentors and cohort participants were engaged in a multi-directional learning program over two years (2021-2022) that included a variety of synchronous and asynchronous online engagement opportunities, as well as the opportunity to attend an in-person summit. Analyses of surveys and reports completed by network participants indicated that RLOE was successful in building community and in providing vital networking opportunities that supported them to design and begin to implement open education strategic plans that included initiatives in professional development, forming partnerships, integrating DEI as well as many other goals and accomplishments. Cohort participants indicated statistically significant gains in 1) developing and leveraging their leadership skills to serve marginalized and underrepresented students, 2) understanding how OE practices can empower all students, especially marginalized students, and 3) how OER can be used to specifically support underrepresented and underserved groups. In addition, 90% of cohort participants indicated that the RLOE Network helped them to center principles of diversity, equity and inclusion into their open educational work.