As I wrap up my first year as Director of the Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources (CCCOER), I find myself reflecting on the collaborative spirit, impactful work, and dedication of our community. It is both a challenge and a privilege to serve in this role and represent community and technical colleges across North America.
One of my priorities has been connecting with the CCCOER community—practitioners, leaders, and advocates. Building these relationships has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my role. These connections have brought opportunities to engage in meaningful ways, including one-on-one Zoom sessions, in-person keynotes and workshops in Oklahoma, Maine, and Virginia, plus presentations exploring OER and diversity, equity, and inclusion in a quickly changing landscape. For example, at the Northeast OER Summit and the Open Education Conference, CCCOER highlighted critical equity-focused initiatives with representatives from Open for Antiracism (OFAR), Remixing Open Textbooks through an Equity Lens (ROTEL), and the Targeted Open Pathways project with Open Oregon Educational Resources. A personal goal of mine is to find ways to connect with more practitioners in the states and institutions who face more challenges and receive less system support, such as Tribal colleges.
Promoting CCCOER voices in OEGlobal projects and initiatives, including Open Education Week, the OEGlobal Conference, and the OpenEd Awards, has highlighted the contributions of our members across institutions. It has been motivating to witness CCCOER’s impact extending beyond community and technical colleges, as our listserv and webinars continue to reach and support OER practitioners from a wide variety of institutions, including colleges and universities outside of North America.
Reimagining CCCOER alongside the Executive Council has been an exciting and forward-looking process. Together, we:
- Redesigned the annual member survey to better understand community needs and priorities.
- Started the process of expanding our program guide to better reflect and support CCCOER’s structure,
- Began laying the foundation for a new strategic plan that aligns with OEGlobal’s to guide CCCOER’s future efforts.
It’s been inspiring to cheer on the accomplishments of our members, webinar presenters, and contributors to the listserv, including those recognized with OpenEd Awards:
- Lisa Young, Maricopa Community Colleges, won the President’s Award.
- Kimberlee Carter, Conestoga College, received a Catalyst Award.
- Open Oregon Educational Resources received a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award for Doing the Work: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Open Educational Resources and Equity-minded Open Course Design
- Open for Antiracism (OFAR) received a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award.
These achievements reflect the heart of CCCOER: a network of educators, leaders, and advocates committed to making education more accessible, inclusive, and equitable.
For me, this year has underscored the power of collaboration, the importance of equity, and the far-reaching impact of OER. As I look to the year ahead, I’m grateful for the support of the OEGlobal team, the CCCOER Executive Council and committees, the OEGlobal Board of Directors, our members and active participants, and my steady co-pilot, Liz Yata. Together, we’re shaping a future where OER continues to transform education.
-Heather Blicher
featured image: Cupcake Photo by Birgith Roosipuu on Unsplash