Student co creation of open textbooks to address sense of belonging and student success

Abstract

There is considerable debate around the role of collaboration with students and how it is enabled by trust, respect, reciprocity, and shared responsibility. Collaborative open textbook development processes that include students as co-creators present a means to building a truly inclusive, democratic classroom environment where students feel a sense of belonging, which is acknowledged as a key factor in student success.

This interactive workshop by the Digital Open Textbooks for Development (DOT4D) initiative as part of the Siyaphumelela Service Workshop series introduced participants to open education practice as a means to address social (in)justice in the classroom, particularly as relates to students’ sense of belonging. Student attribution and acknowledgment is a crucial aspect and participants were introduced to Creative Commons and ways to attribute students. The workshop also provided practical insights into initiatives at UCT that are exploring strategies for student co-creation to aid student success.