Building on research showing cross-disciplinary pedagogy can increase creativity and success rates, the Fashion and World Language programs decided to create a dynamic learning environment to improve student success and bolster their programs' institutional profiles. Both programs received funding to create program OERs, but they also developed cross-disciplinary materials. The session presenters will share the results of this collaboration, how it came together, and what they learned that could be applied elsewhere. There will also be time for questions during this interactive session. Participants in this session will learn about the challenges and rewards of cross-disciplinary programs and how these types of interactions can improve student engagement. They will also gain a better understanding of the benefits of cross-disciplinary relationships and how these are tools to develop a comprehensive learning environment. Finally, participants will become familiar with the process of creating cross-disciplinary programs with OER materials that support specific learning objectives. The session leaders will share how they successfully created OERs that provided students with a real-world application of the communication skills and cultural understanding needed to navigate an industry with supply chains that stretch around the world. These concrete examples helped students more deeply relate to and engage with the material. In addition to student engagement, crafting these cross-disciplinary materials also fostered a more collaborative faculty environment. The presenters will share this story, the challenges they encountered in developing these materials in a program with high numbers of adjunct faculty, and some of the things they learned along the way that can be used to customize OER materials to suit participants' program needs. The final point of discussion will be the impact of OERs on student retention and success rates, and lessons participants can draw upon.
