Does exposure to open educational practices foster open thinking? Exploring direct and indirect effects and other influential factors

Student Perceptions of Open Education Practice: Navigating Privacy, Identity, and Collaboration with Participatory Technologies

Recent studies show that Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is profoundly reshaping educational paradigms, steering teaching systems toward open, inclusive, and context-sensitive practices. This study advances an integrative model combining Open Educational Resources (OER), Open Educational Practices (OEP), and GenAI to support an ethical and sustainable pedagogical transformation. A mixed-methods design was employed with 453 education-science stakeholders across 45 secondary, college, and university institutions in Cameroon and Chad. Quantitative results indicate a significant association between OER and equitable accessibility (β = 0.61, p < 0.01), between OEP and cognitive justice (β = 0.54, p < 0.01), and a positive effect of GenAI on personalization (β = 0.49, p < 0.01). The combined effect of the three dimensions strengthens pedagogical resilience (β = 0.65, p < 0.01). Qualitative evidence underscores the role of human mediation, locally collaborative governance, and contextual appropriation. Policy implications include inclusive governance of innovation, techno-ethical teacher training, and place-based anchoring of open education policies. The proposed model emerges as a strategic and tactical lever for pedagogical sustainability suited to the challenges of the hypermodern era.

Abstract Several technologies appeared in the past for the provisioning of OERs (Open Educational Resource). Beside OER-specific infrastructure, the usage of the software repository GitLab has been observed. However, those implementations of OERs with GitLab typically do not leverage all GitLab features that would contribute to OERs. Especially Issues as feedback indicator for quality and merge request approval rules have not been discussed yet to enable OEPs. These functionalities are presented and then demonstrated in an implemented OEP (Open Educational Practices) use case at NFDI4ING, where experiences were gained. Embedding into a research project and usage of open and existing infrastructure makes the approach sustainable, even from cost perspective. With our work, we highlight which and how GitLab functionalities enable OERs. By doing so, GitLab acts as a technical as well as partially social component of OEPs.

Abstract Open education resources provide accessible materials which are cost effective, inclusive of diverse experiences, and allow for continual updating. This case study analyzes three areas of consideration for tertiary faculty’s recruitment and maintenance in open education practices (OEP) including organizational culture, monetary compensation, and time management. Librarians and other OEP advocates who include diverse faculty positively influence student success.

A zine is a physical, printed, folded pamphlet. This creative work is a zine series collaboratively written by a library science professor, a librarian, and a library science student to share ideas around decolonizing pedagogies. The final zine series (includes 5 numbered zines, with No. 1 as both the first and last issue: No. 2 Mo’s Mutual Aid, No. 3 Community of Inquiry, No. 4 Everyone’s So Creative, No. 5 Ethics of Care in Libraries, No. 1 Decolonizing Learning is Not a Metaphor. No. 1 Decolonizing Pedagogy is Not a Metaphor is an introduction to the foundations of decolonized learning. It provides a broad overview and a few examples. No. 2 Mo’s Mutual Aid is a campus-specific resource guide for support services to address food insecurity, mental and physical health, transportation, and other student services. It was inspired by a campus book group on mutual aid, and its production follows the tenets of mutual aid as discussed in Let This Radicalize You (Hayes & Kaba, 2023) that the group read. No. 3 Community of Inquiry (COI) presents the COI model (Garrison et al., 2000) as a framework for engaging students in critical discourse. This zine includes 5 teaching activities that LIS professors can use in online or face-to-face classes to engage students in these conversations. No. 4 Everyone’s So Creative is a very introductory explanation of Creative Commons licensing for open educational practices, such as a student zine assignment or an open syllabus. No. 5 Ethics of Care in Libraries deconstructs how librarians operate with community as a core value. The zine series is available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1H9F1wP6UgyOm4ye01cD2nEaTVSMDOH0P.

This study applied Lambert’s 3R framework (redistributive, recognitive, and representational justice) to explore the impact of social justice framing and open educational practices on undergraduate students’ perceptions. Using a within-subjects design, 191 participants were exposed to four hypothetical course syllabi, each reflecting different combinations of justice frames and open educational practices. The study examined how these social justice frames influenced students’ intentions to register for the course, their sense of belonging, perceptions of faculty and staff relations, and their evaluation of the instructor. Results indicated that increased social justice framing led to greater intent to register, more positive perceptions of school support and acceptance, better relations with faculty and staff, and higher instructor evaluations. Importantly, the effects of social justice framing were consistent across participants with varying numbers of marginalized identities, suggesting that these interventions may benefit diverse student populations. This study contributes to the literature on social justice and open educational practices by demonstrating how social justice-oriented course design can foster a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.

Qualitative Variation in Academics’ Perceptions of Open Educational Practices: A Phenomenographic Analysis

STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) promotes active learning by integrating knowledge for lifelong learning and providing solutions in complex and changing environments. The study was based on the question: What is the future of STEAM education in the context of complexity? The objective of the study was to analyse the components shaping the future of STEAM education in the context of complexity, with the goal of contributing to mobilising strategies that integrate open education and distance practices. Using an instrumental case study design, the research analysed good practices within a Latin American STEAM community focused on developing life skills and complex thinking. A total of 1224 participants from 21 countries took part in online seminars. Data were collected through three instruments assessing perceptions of reasoning for complexity, STEAM practices, and open education practices. The analysis revealed that the future of STEAM education is shaped by elements such as interdisciplinarity, complex thinking as a core competence, the expansion of e-learning supported by mediating technologies, the creation of open education networks for knowledge co-construction, and a strong commitment to socially oriented and sustainable education. The findings show that: a) initiatives like online OER seminars attract diverse participants over time, b) gender does not influence complex thinking levels among educators, c) that Education 4.0 technologies can enhance the mobilisation of STEAM open practices, and d) educators increasingly use social networks as effective tools for sharing resources and promoting open education. The study offers contributions to academic, scientific, and social communities interested in promoting STEAM training actions with educational innovation. Received: 19 October 2024 / Accepted: 11 June 2025 / Published: 08 July 2025

Ensuring the active participation of faculty members in the open education movement should be a clear priority for higher education institutions aiming to stand out in the area of Open Education. This research was designed to determine the perceptions of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University (MSKÜ) faculty members regarding making their course materials freely accessible, and their motivation to participate in the associated institutional practices. Formed as part of a project supported by Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit, the study aimed to assess faculty members’ perceptions and motivations related to open education and open educational resources. Conducted as a case study, the research involved 21 voluntary participants from a group of 230 faculty members from whom data were collected. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participant faculty members who worked within 11 different faculties located at MSKÜ’s central campus. The interviewed participants emphasised their need for professional support, collaboration, and the necessary time to develop and disseminate open course materials. Participants who were cautious about copyright issues also stressed the importance of technological and institutional support, along with incentives and teamwork. Higher education institutions were considered to play a significant role in the dissemination and improvement of open educational resources and practices due to their mission to produce and spread knowledge.

Ensuring sustainable teaching and learning is a global priority, as it equips individuals and societies with the skills needed to address current challenges while preparing for the future. This conceptual paper presents perspectives, interpretations, and recommendations that foster sustainability within the higher education systems of the Arab region. It thoughtfully demystifies the concept of sustainability in education and identifies educational approaches that promote it. Through a comprehensive literature review, the study examines the implementation of these approaches in Arab universities, highlighting key challenges and limitations. The study’s findings underscore adopting a human-centered approach in education as a pathway to achieving sustainable teaching and learning (STL) and advancing the limitations. The study identified the significance of three interconnected pillars essential for achieving sustainable teaching and learning: establishing human-centered professional development programs, adopting human-centered learning design approaches, and fostering a human-centered approach for open educational practices, within Arab universities. Together, these pillars serve as a foundation for sustainable teaching and learning, ensuring that universities remain adaptable and aligned with both regional needs and global development.

This article examines the findings of the recent OPAL report Beyond OER: Shifting Focus from Resources to Practices. In doing so, it defines current understanding of open educational resources and open educational practices, and highlights the shift from open content to open practice. The article includes a framework for supporting open educational practices. The conclusions emphasise that open access is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the opening of education, and foreshadows ongoing moves toward changes in educational architectures that promote increased uptake of open educational resources and wider application of open education.

This study employs bibliometric analysis to examine scientific literature on Open Educational Resources (OER) in higher education, utilizing data collected from the Scopus database from 2004 to 2023. The analysis, conducted using VOSviewer and RStudio integrated with Biblioshiny, identifies a total of 866 scientific publications, comprising 575 journal articles, 158 conference papers, 8 books, and 125 book chapters. Among these, 378 publications (43.65%) are open access. The findings reveal a significant surge in OER-related publications in 2020, with 124 publications (14.3%), including 63 open access publications, marking a turning point for further growth in subsequent years. The United States leads in publication volume, collaboration networks, and citation impact. The most prominent journal in this field is International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, an open access journal. The most cited and influential article is the 2009 open access publication by Hilton J. In addition, the study identifies thematic developments over the years, particularly the emergence of new keywords in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as “COVID-19,” “open education practice,” and “educational innovation.” This study contributes to updating existing knowledge on OER and provides preliminary insights into the impact of COVID-19 on the field.

In this study, which focuses on selecting the material and predicting its mechanical behaviors in materials science, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) was used to predict and simulate the low-speed impact effects of hybrid nano-doped aramid composites. There are not enough studies about open education practices in this field. Since error values below 1% were obtained with the proposed method, it has been shown that ANN results contribute to the prediction and derivation of force-time, force-displacement, and energy-time curves. It was concluded that the proposed ANN model could be useful in finding solutions to the impact responses of nanohybrid-doped aramid composites. ANN successfully predicted the prediction process for Part I and Part II, with accuracy rates of 99.4% and 99.3% for the displacement feature, 99.2% and 99.1% for the energy feature, and 97.1% and 98.3% for the force feature, respectively. This study is an applied training step that will simulate the impact strength of composite materials reinforced with nano additives and make serious contributions to important and easy-to-access technical training with a library feature that can be used as a basis for use as training material.

Agency, understood as the capacity for control and decision-making over action, is a concept that has been studied from various perspectives and traditions. Within the context of Higher Education—agency for learning or student agency—it provides an emancipatory perspective that goes beyond an individual outlook, addressing social interactions and the pedagogical context. Within the framework of a broader research project aiming to promote student agency through an emphasis on critical digital competence and open educational practices, this study conducts a systematic review of agency in Higher Education. The review aims to (1) conceptualize agency for learning in Higher Education, (2) explore educational practices used for its development, and (3) identify the needs related to its promotion. A total of 60 publications from 6 databases were analysed using EPPI-Reviewer and MAXQDA software. The results highlight the prevalence of motivational, sociocultural, and emancipatory approaches to the concept. The analysis of educational practices underscores partial characteristics in their implementation, such as collaborative practices, participation and co-creation of the curriculum with students, evaluation and feedback, as well as the facilitation of resources and support for students. Additionally, the study points out the scarcity of research on student agency in an integral manner and a lack of detailed documentation of practical experiences that allow for more integral, multidisciplinary, and practical approaches.

This bibliometric analysis explores the rapidly growing field of open education, offering insight into its nature and the wide range of academic topics it covers. This study applies co-citation and co-word analyses approach to critically review 402 publications from the Web of Science database. The aim is to identify emerging topics, seminal works, and dominant trends in the literature on open education. The co-citation analysis identifies key publications and thematic clusters that define the field, including discussions on pedagogical innovations, equity and accessibility, quality assurance, and the global impact of open educational practices (OEP). Co-word analysis, on the other hand, highlights the recurrent and emerging keywords within the literature, revealing focal points such as digital transformation in education, the role of massive open online courses (MOOCs), and the significance of open educational resources (OER) in fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments. This study stands out for its quantitative approach in mapping the current academic conditions of open education, offering insights into the dynamic interplay between technology, policy, and pedagogy. It emphasizes the need for a collaborative, inclusive approach to education, employing open educational resources and methods to fulfill the different needs of learners globally. Through this analysis, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of the current state and future directions of open education, advocating for policies and practices that support sustainable, accessible, and high-quality educational experiences.

Globalization and the unexpected pandemic have highlighted the urgent need for educational transformation towards openness. Embracing openness in education is essential for ensuring equitable access to quality education, as a fundamental human right, especially in challenging circumstances. However, open educational practices are still underutilized in schools, leaving conventional education stagnant and closed. Student assessment plays a pivotal role in shaping school openness. Hence, this paper aims to investigate the impact of open assessment on fostering an open school environment, focused on student improvement rather than mere categorization based on scores. Through a literature review, our research highlights that implementing open forms of assessment can significantly contribute to promoting openness in schools. Open assessment methods help develop essential 21st-century learner skills and instil values such as democracy, human rights, and equity in meaningful ways.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0762/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Abstract Open education is a form of education based on multiple media resources. The optimization of teaching resource allocation on this form can be achieved through resource sharing and personalized resource recommendations. The study proposes an open education teaching resource sharing method based on blockchain technology, which builds a model from three levels: application layer, contract layer, and data layer, specifies the resource transmission efficiency and channel, and realizes the sharing of teaching resources. It also establishes a personalized recommendation process based on K-Means clustering algorithm to achieve recommendations for open education resources. The sharing model constructed in this paper has high resource uploading efficiency and fast updating speed, and is well received by teachers and students. The recommendation accuracy of the personalized recommendation model is higher than 93.6%, and the recommendation time consumed is lower than 21.8s, which is better than the comparison method, and the application effect is better. After using the resource allocation optimization method above to carry out educational reform, students’ performance has significantly improved, and the teaching reform under this method has been highly evaluated.

Practice teaching is a weak link in training applied and skilled talents in the teaching process of open education. Because of the characteristics of learners' on-the-job learning, separation of time and space, and contradiction between work and study, the practice teaching model in traditional teaching environment cannot meet the needs of open education. Therefore, it is urgent to reconstruct the practice teaching system in open education. Based on the OBE education concept, cooperative education concept, whole-person education and other open education concepts, and according to the changes in social and economic conditions, teaching design is endowed with new connotations, a new practical teaching system suitable for open education is formed, and applied research is carried out in engineering specialties, so as to enhance the ability of open education to train applied and skilled talents.

In recent time, Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) trainees have increasingly adopted technology-oriented learning to enhance their classroom teaching and learning experiences. These trainees are also creating various learning environment, such as self-directed learning, group learning, and other activities with the digital tools. This study examined the integration of Open Educational Practices (OEP) and Virtual Learning Readiness (VLR) among B.Ed. trainees across different districts in Uttar Pradesh, India. With the growing dependence on technology, these trainees are utilizing digital resources like mobile learning applications, Zoom, Google Meet, Google Classroom freckle and digital whiteboards to improve their classroom engagement. The research, which included 960 B.Ed. trainees, employed standardized tools to evaluate their levels of Open Educational Practices (OEP) and Virtual Learning Readiness (VLR). The findings indicated that the trainees exhibited a moderate level of both variables, with notable variations based on certain background factors. A statistical analysis has done, which included percentage, descriptive, differential, and relational methods to analyze the collected data critically. However, the main challenges include limited time to locate suitable resources, insufficient awareness regarding quality assurance, technological constraints. The study suggests that targeted booster programs should be organized to enrich trainees’ technological skills, enabling them to excel in future classroom teaching and learning. The study’s outcomes are expected to significantly contribute to the improvement of the emerging learning society.