Research Report

Open Educational Practices and Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Practices in Four K–8 OER Programs

Caroline E. Parker, Danielle Saucedo, Krystal Thomas, and Rebecca Griffiths
December 2022 | Hewlett Foundation and SRI Education

This report conducted through a partnership between Hewlett Foundation and SRI Education involved an investigation into the intersection of open educational resources (OER), open educational practices (OEP), and culturally responsive and sustaining practices (CRSP). The evaluation was focused on four K–8 OER programs providing accessible and adaptable online courses. The assessment explored these programs’ design, implementation, and intended impact, with a particular emphasis on how they integrated seven key constructs encompassing OEP and CRSP. These constructs included fostering a caring classroom culture, promoting critical consciousness, enabling free and open access, encouraging new knowledge generation, upholding high and equitable standards, delivering inclusive content, and empowering student agency and ownership.