Overview: In the US, there is desperate need to address inequity in our education system. High poverty-schools account for 25% of all public schools, and in every state, those students complete high school at a significantly lower rate than their peers. This trend continues straight into higher education, where economically disadvantaged students finish their degree programs at significantly lower rates than their peers.
OER has tremendous potential to bring equity to our schools and ensure that all students – regardless of their economic status, location, and background – have access to the same high quality learning materials. But as we push for greater OER adoption, are there ways that OER can exacerbate or entrench existing inequity?
This panel features two higher education experts and two K-12 experts, who will discuss this question and brainstorm how to best position OER as a solution to inequity in education moving forward.
