Open Education as a Field, a Movement and a Public Good

What does it take for open education to move from a grassroots movement to a lasting part of higher education? In this episode of Open-Ed Mic, hosts Kevin Corcoran and Zach Claybaugh sit down with Nicole Allen, executive director of the Open Education Association, to explore the evolution of open education—from student-led textbook affordability campaigns to a mature field with growing policy, institutional, and infrastructure needs.

Allen reflects on her journey into advocacy, beginning with her own experience struggling to afford college textbooks and discovering the power of student organizing. She shares how those early campaigns laid the groundwork for a career advancing open educational resources through national initiatives and policy work.

The conversation examines the critical role libraries have played in scaling OER, why administrators and policymakers have become increasingly important stakeholders, and how colleges can rethink course material procurement as an institutional investment rather than a student expense.

Allen argues that while affordability remains a compelling entry point, the open education community must broaden its narrative to address emerging challenges including AI literacy, workforce development, dual enrollment, and institutional dependence on proprietary educational platforms. She also discusses the unintended consequences of inclusive access programs, access code models, and other closed systems that often obscure costs while limiting student choice.

Throughout the discussion, Allen emphasizes that sustainable progress requires both a professional field capable of implementing open education and a broader movement capable of creating systemic change. She concludes with an optimistic outlook, noting that the greatest strength of open education lies in its community and the people who recognize that barriers to knowledge are often policy choices rather than inevitabilities.