Creating an OER Ancillary Material Repository for K-16 Teachers: A Design Case

Abstract

This design case follows the evolution of the Pathways Project’s Open Education Resource (OER) repository. The Pathways Project is an open and collaborative network of K-16 language staff, teachers, and students who retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute supplemental instructional language teaching materials and professional development. We launched the project in 2018 in response to changes in disciplinary standards that impacted world language teachers, especially teachers in rural regions, who needed access to new materials that upheld the updated standards. Through four design cycles, the Pathways Project team utilized teacher feedback to transform the repository into a user-friendly platform and develop professional development resources facilitating the adoption, adaptation, and redistribution of openly licensed teaching materials. The design enhancements focused on improving user experience, and scaffolding improved digital competence to access and use the repository more efficiently and effectively. These improvements include standardizing activity templates, simplifying access to materials, and providing self-paced resources for on-demand learning.