Open Education 2015

A key component in many community college adoption campaigns has been participating in communities of practice. Leaders of college OER campaigns from across the US will share will share their successful strategies and tactics for creating a community of practice by participating in and leveraging Community College Consortium for OER (CCCOER) activities.

Etienne Wenger defines communities of practice as "groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly." With over 250 member colleges in 21 states and provinces, CCCOER encourages collaboration between members and invites OER project presentations at monthly advisory meetings. Experienced members advise those who are just getting started and best practices are shared. Access to a community of college OER experts through the CCCOER listserv makes it easier for new members to find and adopt the highest quality OER available in their disciplines.

Monthly webinars featuring OER leaders at community colleges, universities, and educational organizations around the world keep the community informed of new research findings, OER projects, and open policies. Meet-ups at regional and national conferences provide an opportunity to share and promote the OER adoption successes of our members with colleagues throughout higher education.

Panelists will describe how these activities have informed and strengthened their local OER projects, as well as how they are serving as guides to newcomers to the OER field.