6/22/26 - AAC&U announces OER as the newest high-impact practice!

Open Pedagogy Learning Circle

In Spring 2026, the UHCC Open Pedagogy Learning Circle provided a comprehensive deep dive into transformative teaching practices, moving beyond traditional course structures to emphasize student agency and the co-creation of knowledge.

Our cohort of 12 faculty (representing 3 UHCC campuses) explored open pedagogy frameworks such as renewable v. disposable assignments (Wiley, 2013; Jhangiani, 2017), the 8 Attributes of Open Pedagogy (Hegarty, 2015), and the 5 Circle Framework (Tietjen & Asino, 2021). We also critically examined student and faculty perceptions of open pedagogy, especially regarding privacy, consent, and public sharing. We discussed important logistical considerations including UH-specific processes for documenting student consent to share and technological tools for open pedagogy. Central to our discussions was the intersection of open pedagogy with social justice, acknowledging UH's commitment to Native Hawaiian students.

OPLC 2026 Facilitator

Ashley Biddle, Associate Professor in Psychology, Leeward Community College

I came into the learning circle already using open pedagogy, but I feel like this gave me a more intentional approach as to the how and why. I found the conversation about ethics especially valuable. This circle definitely helped solidify my commitment to making sure work is meaningful and useful for my students beyond the course. I think the most important way I plan to implement this is to be more explicit with students about the purpose of their contributions, what open pedagogy is, and why it matters.

Anika Gearhart-Edwards

Asst. Professor in Psychology, Leeward CC

OPLC 2026 Cohort

[I learned that] Open Pedagogy aligns with social justice and Critical Pedagogy in ways I hadn’t considered by providing a platform for students to have a voice in the given field. I’m ruminating on new renewable assignments, ways to make the coursework into something that serves the community, and how mandatory some of the openness should be, and what frameworks are needed to support all of the above.

Bryan Campbell

Instructor in Art & Creative Media, Hawai'i CC

OPLC 2026 Cohort

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