Name: Students as Co-Creators: Advancing Equity and Engagement Through Collaborative Open Educational Resource Development in Undergraduate Biology
Start: 2026-10-09T10:30:00-0400
End: 2026-10-09T11:00:00-0400

All sessions are available online except round tables, special activities, and workshops.

Students as Co-Creators: Advancing Equity and Engagement Through Collaborative Open Educational Resource Development in Undergraduate Biology

Friday October 9, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT

5 DR3

ID: 33709

Open Educational Resources (OER) are widely recognized for their role in reducing financial barriers to education; however, their potential to transform teaching and learning through open pedagogy remains underutilized, particularly in STEM disciplines. This study examines a student–faculty co-creation model implemented in undergraduate biology courses at Xavier University of Louisiana, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), where students are positioned as active contributors to the development of openly licensed instructional materials. By engaging students as co-creators, this project seeks to advance equity-centered teaching practices while deepening student learning and engagement.In this initiative, undergraduate biology students collaborate with faculty to design and develop OER materials aligned with course learning objectives, including annotated lecture slide decks, formative assessments, and study guides. These materials are intentionally designed to be culturally relevant and reflective of the diverse identities and experiences of the student population. The project emphasizes inclusive pedagogy by integrating student voice into the creation of academic content, thereby challenging traditional hierarchies of knowledge production in higher education.A mixed-methods research design is used to evaluate the impact of this co-creation model. Quantitative data include pre- and post-course surveys measuring science identity, sense of belonging, and self-efficacy in biology, as well as comparisons of course performance between student participants and non-participants. Qualitative data are collected through reflective journals, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews to capture students’ perceptions of their roles as contributors, their engagement with course content, and the perceived relevance of the materials they help create. Additional evaluation includes faculty feedback on the usability and effectiveness of student-generated OER in subsequent course offerings.Preliminary findings suggest that participation in OER co-creation enhances student ownership of learning, strengthens conceptual understanding, and fosters a stronger sense of belonging in STEM. These outcomes are particularly meaningful for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, who often experience barriers to inclusion within traditional STEM learning environments. Furthermore, this project demonstrates that student-generated OER can serve as both a pedagogical tool and a mechanism for amplifying diverse perspectives in scientific education.This work contributes a scalable and replicable model for integrating open pedagogy into undergraduate STEM curricula. All developed materials will be openly licensed and disseminated through public repositories to support broader adoption and adaptation. By centering student voice, promoting equitable participation, and expanding access to culturally relevant resources, this project advances the broader goals of open education.

Speakers

Christopher Bolden

Assistant Professor, Xavier University of Louisiana

Christopher T. Bolden, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Xavier University of Louisiana. Trained in clinical and translational science, he earned his PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Clinical & Translational Science) from the University of Arkansas for Medical... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA

Presentation

Speaker Modality In-person
Track Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge

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OEGlobal 2026

Christopher Bolden

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OEGlobal 2026

Christopher Bolden

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