GO-GN Equity, Diversity and Inclusion project
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) has been in the Global OER Graduate Network’s (GO-GN) agenda since it’s foundation in 2013, but it was in 2018 when its first project directly related to EDI was developed. The Hewlett Foundation is funding the EDI project, to identify how open research communities such as GO-GN can be more diverse, equitable and inclusive. The GO-GN leadership has the responsibility of creating an inclusive community and champion, promote and apply diversity, equality and inclusivity principles, while fulfilling the network’s aims of raising the profile of open education research, supporting PhD candidates in the field, engaging with alumni, as well as developing openness as a process of research.
The EDI project has got two phases as described below. The objective of the final implementation phase was the production of a downloadble handbook coordinated by Carina Bossu and Francisco (Paco) Iniesto, which contains a set of GO-GN EDI guidelines in OE based on the experiences of phases 1 and 2 and informed by the relevant literature in the field..
Phase 1
The first phase of GO-GN EDI project focused on EDI practices in Open Education in Africa. Findings of this first stage informed the initial GO-GN guidelines for EDI. The findings of phase 1 have also been used as a foundation for phase 2 of the EDI project. This first phase was led by Carina Bossu and Judith Pete. It included eight interviews, some from GO-GN members in the Global South and other OER practitioners. The GO-GN members were interviewed because they understand the network’s agenda and benefits therein. Findings and publications from this phase include:
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Project blogpost.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion in GO-GN blogpost.
- Diversity & Inclusion guidelines blogpost.
- Bossu, C., Pete, J., Prinsloo, P., & Agbu, J. F. (2019). How to tame a dragon: Scoping diversity, inclusion and equity in the context of an OER project.
Phase 2
EDI phase 2 (led by Carina Bossu and Viviane Vladimirschi) started in early 2020 and the project that was originally planned would certainly have to be modified due to the impact of the global pandemic on researchers, participants and in fact on the world. Notwithstanding, 12 online interviews with key OE experts across Latin America were conducted, including from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Uruguay. Findings from phase 2 are:
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Latin America in the Context of an Open Education Initiative – OE Global 2020
- DEI in Latin America project: Plan and Preliminary Findings – GO-GN webinar
- DEI Project in Latin America: Plan and preliminary findings. (blogpost available in Portuguese and Spanish)
- Links between open education and DEI – Findings from a Latin American study – OER21
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion project in Latin America: Update and final findings. (blogpost available in Portuguese and Spanish)
