The Houston metro area is, in many ways, emblematic of a large, sprawling, modern metropolis in the United States. It has a number of private and public colleges and universities spread over a large geographical area. Several Houston area colleges and universities have been exploring open education in various depths, but until the summer of 2017, there was no cohesive organization to these efforts. In an effort to promote collaboration and coordination between open educators, Tonja Conerly and Nathan Smith invited local educators to participate in a consortium on open education, called the Houston Area OER Consortium. We held our first meeting at Houston Community College in July 2017. Since that time, we have had regular quarterly meetings, adopted a mission and bylaws, and completed the first round of officer elections. We are in the process of developing a web presence and hosting a statewide OER conference. The story of the HAOER Consortium offers an example of how open educators can build local networks of educational organizations that increase diversity and inclusion in OER and sustain on-the-ground efforts to promote open education.
In this presentation, we will introduce participants to the membership of the OER consortium, how to incorporate or encourage new members and institutions, our basic structure and organization, the process for drafting and adopting bylaws, the process for developing a web presence, our work with state agencies to host an OER conference, and the ways this organization has included and strengthened diverse voices in open education. This presentation offers a case study that can be used as a model for others.
Video Testimonial 1Video Testimonial 2 Learning Outcomes:
- Attendees will become familiar with the Houston Area OER Consortium, its members and organization
- Attendees will appreciate the need for local organizations to improve collaboration and inclusion
- Attendees will have a sample bylaws, website, and governance structure that they can implement in their own local communities
