Though openness is often assumed to be a democratizing approach to education, scholars have noted that its practice appears to be much more complicated and unequal (Gourlay, 2015; Veletsianos & Kimmons, 2012). This workshop will explore guidelines and principles for research and policy development in the field of open education that aim to foster a culture of openness in a pragmatic and supportive manner. Through two perspectives (policy focused and grassroots initiatives), workshop participants will examine considerations for conducting research in this area and identify factors that may be instrumental in fostering a culture of openness and/or developing policy recommendations. Factors that are critical to attend to when conducting open education studies will be shared and used as a template for participants to explore in their own setting. Participants will also identify and discuss their own specific tensions and potential conceptual, practical and technical challenges experienced as they consider developing a culture of openness in their context.
