Leading Authentically: Humanness, Wolves, Frameworks, and Lived Experience
“Leadership isn’t a title, it’s a practice. If you care about people, you’re already leading.”
This began as a reflection prompt for my Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board OER Fellowship and turned into something truer: a field guide to how I lead, where I am strong, and where I am still growing. Writing it grounded my values, clarified my style, and named the patterns I keep practicing. It is also an invitation. If you care about learning, you are already leading, title or not. This is my map: back-of-the-pack and willing to go back in, honest about mental health and energy, committed to small experiments that make work humane and useful. I hope it helps you name your own shape of leadership.
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. By Brené Brown (2018)
If there’s a compass for this work, it’s Brené Brown’s take on daring leadership. Her research, and honestly, her whole body of work, is transformative. I just finished Brené's book, Dare to Lead, and it really did land like a leadership reset, "back to the roots", as she mentions in the book. Her research insists that brave work, tough conversations, and whole hearts belong together. In the Dare to Lead frame, vulnerability and accountability aren’t opposites; they travel as companions. Every time I read her work, I change a little. I become more me. Dare to Lead doesn’t merely humanize leadership, it dares leaders to be human, treat people like humans, and build organizations for real humans. Brené teaches through her own arena moments and rumbles, with a mix of compassion and skill-based practicality that’s soft and useful, and a strong leader showing us how it's done.
My current read, Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit, also written by Brené Brown, is the "not-a-sequal" next read after Dare to Lead. I want to be sure to clarify that you do not have to have read Dare to Lead in order to understand and learn from Strong Ground. Brené is so wonderful about updating her ideas and research across her books and writing so that any of her books can truly be read on its own.
Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit, by Brené Brown (2025)
Rising Strong teaches us that we can live and work inside paradox—honestly, we have to—to reach a human level of leadership. Be both compassionate and logical. Build organizations that are financially sustainable and productive and truly supportive of employee mental health and well-being. I see leadership as a dare to be authentically ourselves first. Know who you are so you can lead from that grounded place. Let words match actions; that’s how we model integrity for the people who look to us for guidance.
Someone is always watching, relying, hoping you’ll go first, a class, a colleague, a kid. Brené Brown often shares the line attributed to Joseph Campbell, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek,” and that image fits this season of my work. I do a lot of things I’m afraid to do. Over and over, the things that scared me most have offered the richest learning—terrifying and wonderful, humbling and expansive.
Leaning into discomfort, the unknown, the vulnerable, and the scary has the power to bring real joy to our lives and the lives of others. For everyone’s good, we need leaders with the courage, vision, heart, and discipline to embrace vulnerability, and to invite others to do the same. That’s how the world changes.
Led and Seen: A Leader Who Dared
Reading Brené always sends me back to the leaders who taught me how to lead, for better and for worse. Many of us have served under people who never really saw us. We were a number, a data point, a problem to be fixed. The ask was always “improve yourself,” instead of “let me examine how I lead.” That experience shaped me as much as anything I’ve studied.
I learned a different way from an early mentor, Dr. Shawn Perry. I am not someone who fits neatly inside systems. I live with real mental health challenges that can make ordinary days heavier than they look from the outside. I have spent years balancing optics and authenticity, learning when to ask for what I need even when it breaks the script, and choosing to try new things because I am wired for innovation. Systems that do not allow room for dreaming and creativity choke off the very oxygen of improvement. Shawn did not fit neatly either. He shares stories about the educators who saw him, and that is the crux: people need leaders who see them as they are and value what they bring, even when it is not tidy.
When Shawn opened Trent Middle School in Frisco ISD in 2015, I joined the founding staff. First I taught sixth grade English and Reading, then Technology Applications. Trent’s mascot is the timberwolf, and Shawn built a culture around how real wolves travel.
Trent Middle School's Student Mission Statement (Frisco, Texas)
Wolves move together. The strong set a sustainable pace. Elders watch the rear. The pack rotates effort so no one burns out. The young are kept in the safe middle. Our core values were Purpose, Attitude, Commitment, and Kindness. They were practice, not just posters. Shawn led from the back of the pack. He was steady and empathetic. He taught from lived experience and guided without grandstanding. Under that kind of leadership I took brave swings and still felt safe. In three fast years I had a baby, worked full time, finished a master’s degree in Literacy and Learning from Texas Woman's University with a 4.0, earned a new certification in Early Child-Adult Technology Applications, shifted to teaching a brand-new subject, discovered a love for teaching peers, wrote district curriculum, served as electives team lead and campus technology chair, and eventually moved into a district Digital Learning Coach role. I grew without losing myself or my family. I did not realize how much happened in such a shprt time until I wrote it down for this piece. Shawn's leadership gave me space to grow, the leverage and courage to take calculated risks (failure was going to be okay), and take care of myself and family.
One moment captures how Shawn held paradox. I was pregnant with my son and the weight of teaching a tested subject (ELAR) felt heavy. The Tech Apps teacher was moving away and that role fit my strengths and was not a state tested subject. To offer me the job, I needed to pass the certification exam, but timing was tight. My son arrived in March 2016. The opening surfaced late spring. The earliest test date was May, yet he needed to staff English sooner. Shawn offered this: if I passed, Tech Apps was mine. If I did not, I would step into a split English assignment to fill a gap. The offer was more than fair. More than that, I trusted him to support me either way. He was protecting the campus and making space for me to try something new. That is leadership inside paradox.
Shawn also modeled authenticity from day one. He built community from what could be, not what had been. He is a huge Star Wars fan, and some of my warmest memories are of him walking the halls in an Obi-Wan cape with a lightsaber, doing principal things while being fully himself. That kind of realness gave the rest of us permission to bring our full selves too.
Many of the people he invested in are still at Trent. He now leads Frisco High School, and I am proud to call him a mentor, colleague, and friend. What means the most is that he kept reaching out—years after I left Trent. He remembered me. He remembers me. That continued care makes me feel deeply seen, and it’s a model I carry forward. When I picture the leaders worth learning from, I see Shawn and the community he made. I work to lead like that every day.
Text to me from Shawn and my fantastic AP Jeff Guekler, June 2021
The Throughline of My Career
I am a “go-back-in” leader. I lead from lived experience, and I want my hands in the work I ask others to do. If I find a door out of the smoke, I turn around and walk people through it. That’s been the pattern across my career in public K–12 and higher ed: middle school teacher, district curriculum writer, digital learning specialist, PD designer and facilitator, committee chair, and now OER librarian. I choose roles that let me be the adult I needed—and, if I’m honest, the one I still need. My work is to build spaces where people can think clearly, tell the truth without penalty, and leave with one useful thing for tomorrow.
Underneath that is a simple belief: people have innate worth exactly as they are. I have a soft spot for those who don’t fit neatly, which is most of us. The systems we inherit out of tradition often don’t fit real humans. My purpose feels bigger than any single classroom: revise, dismantle, enhance, and create systems that are truly for people. I learned early that the quickest route to human systems is authentic, interdisciplinary partnership—aligning what students do with how teachers teach so time isn’t wasted and learning is real.
English + Tech Apps = real writing When I taught English, I’d reserve computers for two or three days just so students could type essays—days of typing with no new learning. After I moved into Technology Applications, I rewired the pattern. I aligned my word-processing standards with the English team’s units so the writing process flowed across our rooms: students drafted in English, then came to my class to format, revise, and publish. We split assessment on purpose—I graded format and mechanics; the English teacher graded content and ideas—so feedback stayed targeted and English teachers stopped losing content days to typing. Same essays, same kids; now “tech time” meant skill growth, not just keystrokes.
Science + Spreadsheets = real data We used the same braid with science. Students finished a physics lab with numbers in a notebook—useful, but stuck on paper. I timed my spreadsheets unit to their lab cycle. They brought data to my room, entered it into a sheet, checked calculations, and built graphs that echoed (and sometimes corrected) their hand-drawn versions. Again, we split the lift—I assessed technical accuracy and visualization; science assessed concepts and conclusions—so every minute at a computer served both classes. Suddenly, technology wasn’t a separate event; it was sense-making.
Those partnerships taught me what I practice now: connect with people, align systems, and make the complex usable. The scale kept widening, and I stayed close to the work. As an English teacher my circle was about 75 students a year; in Tech Apps it jumped to roughly 300. As a Digital Learning Specialist in Frisco ISD, I served two full campuses (about 50–60 staff and 600–800 students each), piloted Canvas LMS at both middle schools, and helped shape Canvas onboarding for the district—tens of thousands of faculty, staff, and students felt the ripple. In Fort Worth ISD, I supported 10 schools (2 high schools, 2 middle schools, 6 elementary) and co-led the Campus Technology Liaison program—one liaison from each of 200+ campuses—so our touchpoint became the whole district (around 80,000 people). I also helped bring Canvas to FWISD, carrying lessons from Frisco so the rollout felt more humane and more useful.
Now, as the Open Education Resources Librarian at UTA, my campus community is 40,000 strong, and my circle keeps expanding. I’m finding rooms that fit me at the state level through THECB’s OER Fellowship and at the national level as I lean into the Open Education Network’s and Open Education Association’s early work to shape a movement for literally everyone. My direct stakeholders are learners, and everyone is a learner.
I’ve watched my impact grow and it’s deeply rewarding, not because the numbers are big, but because the work stayed in the trenches with real people. I don’t chase leadership; I follow the work I love, and leadership finds me. As the circle widens, I want language for why this path fits. In standardized spaces, I used to stay quiet and hide my “weird” ideas, and I felt wrong there, until I experienced different leadership. Now I speak up. I share my ideas and thought process openly, explain my rationale, and connect with people on a human level—empathy, heart, and workable ideas. That’s what people follow.
Personality frameworks keep showing me I’m a little different, and that difference serves the work. Studying myself as a leader through structured reflection grounds me and clarifies my practice.To ground that growth in language, I mapped my leadership through a few lenses: Big Five, MBTI, Enneagram, CliftonStrengths, True Colors, and a bit of astrology for tone and whimsy.
Why These Lenses, Why Now
I wanted language for the person I am while I’m doing the work. So I reached for a small constellation of lenses that see me from different angles:
Big Five for how I tend to move through the world.
Myers–Briggs (MBTI) for how I take in information and make decisions.
Enneagram for what drives me at the core.
CliftonStrengths for where my natural value-creation lives.
True Colors for my temperament’s hue.
Astrology for style, story, and a little cosmic seasoning.
These aren’t verdicts or boxes to be put into. They’re mirrors, tools to spot patterns, name the edges where I’m still growing, and design a kinder way to lead. Each one offers a different kind of truth: data about tendencies, language for motivation, clues about how I create value, and reminders about tone and presence. Taken together, they help me align how I show up with what I care about: human-centered systems, brave conversations, and work that leaves people better than it found them.
Here’s how those mirrors read for me, then how that shows up in practice.
Big Five
The Big Five is a map of five currents—Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Negative Emotionality—and I’m mostly wind and water. Very high Openness shows up as dot-connecting, one of my favorite skills. I listen for the space between people’s words, notice patterns, and use them to shape how I partner. The outcome is that lightbulb moment educators live for. Lower Conscientiousness and Extraversion mean I prefer light scaffolding and smaller rooms where thinking can breathe. Ideas and innovation need space and safety; I do my best work with independent time and right-sized groups.
Higher Agreeableness keeps me tuned to people, and my moderate sensitivity to stress helps me catch pressure early. I’m always listening for where the human experience can be improved, scanning for quiet grinds that stall progress. Support that fits my wiring is simple and kind: a clear definition of done, a gentle update rhythm, and shared templates that hold shape without choking creativity.
Myers–Briggs (INFP)
As an INFP, the Mediator, I move from meaning first. I hold a strong why, translate complexity into plain speech, and choose experiments that won’t harm belonging. This is my yearning for authenticity coming through: everyone deserves to live and work as themselves. I love creating pathways that make authenticity possible, turning “complicated” into “understandable” without flattening nuance.
When I falter, it’s usually because I’m looking for the kindest path for everyone and the decision lingers. I believe real leadership lives inside paradox (thank you, Brené), and sometimes I lean a bit more toward care than function. Returning to my why, and asking, vulnerably, “Who does this benefit and who might this harm?” helps me make efficient, functional, compassionate decisions. Possibilities that help: deadlines with grace, invite fast feedback, and let “good enough for now” be part of a humane process.
Enneagram (Type 4)
Fours, the Individualist, are built for depth and authenticity. We notice what’s missing and give it language. That’s me when I protect the soul of the work, surface the unsaid, and make room for honest expression. On thin-energy days, comparison or “too much” can creep in, and imposter feelings hover around corners, especially when belonging matters as much as it does to me.
My move is to alchemize feeling into a design prompt: name what’s real, set a short window, and let making carry me forward so the group keeps moving too. Authenticity isn’t a vibe for me; it’s a mental-health practice. I don’t only want to “fit in,” I want to belong, as myself, and help others belong as themselves.
CliftonStrengths
My top strengths, Connectedness, Strategic, Input, Intellection, and Ideation, explain how I create value. I see the system and the pain points, pick the lever, curate resources, think deeply, and generate options. That’s why I build templates, toolkits, and guides, and why I love small public pilots. The flip side is real: I can stack ideas without closure or research past usefulness. I am an overthinker and overplanner who can get stuck at the panoramic view.
I’m learning to do less and do it better; slow down to move well. Gentle rails help: distill many ideas into one testable plan, name tradeoffs out loud, and pause long enough to bring people with me. I’m not perfect at this, and teammates who are strong executors propel the work forward in ways I’m grateful for.
True Colors (Green)
Green is analytic, conceptual, future-facing. When things get messy, my Green steadies the table with models, visuals, and simple rules of thumb people can use tomorrow. The edge is that clarity can read as cool, or aloof, when I’m actually holding the room calm. So I practice warm clarity: pair logic with care, check for understanding, and make sure people feel seen before we move.
This also captures my commitment to objectivity without losing humanity. I try to see and hear people exactly as they are, while remembering difference is real and context matters. And I keep building artifacts—guides, visuals, scaffolds—that widen access so more people can engage fully.
Astrology, for Style and Spice
Aquarius Sun, Leo Moon, Pisces Rising—air for ideas, fire for heart, water for presence. My operating system runs on crosswinds and compassion: build better systems for humans (Aquarius), offer sincere recognition and creative light (Leo), read rooms like weather and soften sharp edges (Pisces). Not fate, just flavor, and it seems to tracks.
For the astro-nerds: January Aquarians (hello, January 23) carry the classic signatures—humanitarian focus, principled independence, pattern-thinking, future-building—tempered by winter steadiness that reads as calm conviction. However, Aquarians are ruled by two very different planets: Saturn (structure, responsibility, long-game discipline) plus Uranus (disruption, originality, sudden insights). That mix makes me the go-to weirdo with a kind heart and good intentions: I’ll design a sensible scaffold (Saturn) and then rewire it on the fly when a better pattern appears (Uranus).
It mirrors the rest of my profile, the systems lens of Connectedness/Strategic, the authenticity of Enneagram 4 and INFP, the Green preference for models that help people. Big-picture air, warm-hearted fire, ocean-sensing intuition, all pointed at building kinder systems that actually work.
Common Threads
Across every lens, one word keeps ringing: authenticity. I lead best when I am fully myself and make room for others to be fully themselves. I’m a pattern-finder and a meaning-maker, especially of the unseen patterns that stall momentum: the quiet frictions, the unspoken rules, the “we’ve always done it this way” habits. I listen between the lines, translate complexity into something usable, and aim my care at the edges where people are most likely to be missed. I’m steady in complexity and biased toward small, teachable experiments that turn good intentions into visible progress. Back-of-the-pack leadership, go-back-in courage, and a systems lens tie it together: protect the humans, test the path, share what works.
The growth thread is consistent, too: structure that holds without choking, communication that travels without fanfare, and honest energy stewardship, especially on days when the inside weather is loud or invisible. I’m learning to right-size scaffolding, to signal wins sooner, and to pace myself and teams with grace. The commitment underneath: keep the work human, keep the feedback specific, and keep showing up as the same person in every room—so trust has somewhere solid to stand.
Lived Experience, Mental Health, and the Growth Lane
My leadership is braided with mental health and disability. I have sat in rooms where support arrived only after I performed struggle loudly enough to be believed. If I am well managed and the surface looks tidy while I am running on fumes, masking can “prove” I never needed help. That paradox shapes how I lead. I set boundaries out loud, normalize recovery for everyone, and ask about energy and focus alongside tasks. On anxious or depleted days, growth areas are not theoretical. They are felt in the body. So I move gently, tell the truth about capacity, and build processes that do not punish people for being human.
The lenses above help me name why this is real. Big Five sensitivity means I notice pressure early but can also carry it quietly. INFP values-first wiring makes me hesitate while I scan for the kindest path, which can delay decisions when my energy is low. Enneagram 4 depth brings honesty and meaning, and it also invites comparison or “too much” when belonging feels fragile. Green’s calm logic steadies a room, yet it can read as cool if I forget to show warmth. Even my Aquarius mix of Saturn and Uranus shows up here. I can build a careful scaffold and then feel pulled to rethink it overnight, which is thrilling for me and tiring for teams. None of this is a flaw to hide. It is information. Helpful possibilities for me include right-size scaffolding, short visible updates, decision windows with grace, and pairing with executors who love checklists. The promise I make to my teams is simple. We will protect the human layer while we do excellent work, and we will design for health as if it is a requirement, not a perk.
Five Practices [Already] in My Hands
In early October, our THECB OER Fellows gathered in Austin to kick off eight months of collaboration—strategy, shared learning, and capstone projects we’ll hand back to the world. We were introduced to The Leadership Challenge research, and it felt like a checklist I’ve been quietly following for years. Kouzes and Posner distilled thousands of “personal-best” stories into five observable practices that show up when people do their best work together.
Handout THECB OER Year 2 Fellows received at our kick-off meeting in Austin, Tx, on October 16th & 17th, 2025.
Here’s how those practices translate for me:
Model the Way. Do what you say you’ll do. I show my work, keep promises visible, and make criteria inspectable so trust has something solid to stand on.
Inspire a Shared Vision. Share what could be and invite co-authors, not spectators. I name the future I (try to) see, connect it to lived experience, and hand others the pen.
Challenge the Process. Pilot new ideas. I work to treat constraints as creative prompts, failure as iterations, learn in public, and retire what doesn’t serve me anymore.
Enable Others to Act. Capacity building. Build together. I design for social learning, pair complementary strengths, remove friction (when possible), and distribute decision rights so momentum and ownership belongs to the group.
Encourage the Heart People before policy. Celebrate what matters. I recognize learning and invisible labor in real time: badges, shout-outs, and receipts that say “you are seen.”
Based on everything above, and after a long, honest look inward, I’m naming the core of how I lead. I’ve always scored high on intrapersonal intelligence (knowing one’s self) in Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences, and this round of reflection has been both challenging and wonderfully illuminating: satisfying, validating, and clarifying. It reminded me that authenticity, pattern-finding, and human-first systems are not side notes; they’re the spine.
My Leadership Statement
I lead from the back and go back in. I build brave, sensible systems where people can be themselves and do real work together. I make my process and criteria visible so trust has ground to stand on. I invite a shared vision with stories and data, then co-author the path so it belongs to the group. I challenge the process through small, honest experiments that turn constraints into creative prompts. I enable others by sharing decision rights, removing friction, and leaving tools that outlast me. I encourage the heart by naming learning and invisible labor in real time. I protect humane pace and tell the truth about energy so our work is effective, kind, and sustainable.
⭐ What values shape your leadership? I’d love to hear your reflections.
This article is published on my personal LinkedIn account and reflects my own views. It does not represent or speak for the views, policies, or positions of my employer.
Resources
Brown, B. (2018). Dare to lead: Brave work, tough conversations, whole hearts. Random House.
Brown, B. (2025). Strong ground: The lessons of daring leadership, the tenacity of paradox, and the wisdom of the human spirit. Random House.
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge: How To Make Extraordinary Things Happen in organizations. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.
Disclosure of Delegation to Generative AI
The authors declare the use of generative AI in the research and writing process. According to the GAIDeT taxonomy (2025), the following tasks were delegated to GAI tools under full human supervision:
Text generation
Proofreading and editing
Summarizing text
Adapting and adjusting emotional tone
The GAI tool used was: Microsoft Copilot GPT 5 (2025).
Responsibility for the final manuscript lies entirely with the authors.
GAI tools are not listed as authors and do not bear responsibility for the final outcomes.
Declaration submitted by: Megan Zara
Additional note: I use AI as an accommodation tool to support executive function challenges. I often begin by “brain dumping” my thoughts into AI to reduce the initial barrier to starting. I then use it to help organize my ideas, identify gaps or areas that need clarification or expansion, and assist with revisions for clarity, coherence, and tone.
'Progress, Not Perfection' Disclosure
I am not aiming for a perfect final version of this article, just better iterations over time. What you are seeing is a useful “good enough” version that I may refine later. Updates will be transparently documented.
Beyond Access: Reclaiming the Human Core of Open Education
Finding My Way Back
It’s been a while since I’ve written here. This year has been full of motion, program re-evaluation, strategic pivots, and navigating the political and financial headwinds shaping higher education right now.
Amid all that change, I began a new chapter this fall as a Year 2 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board OER (Open Educational Resources) Fellow. The fellowship is already providing incredible support, community, and guidance as I lead major transitions in UTA’s open education work.
Being part of this statewide network of educators and librarians who believe the future of Texas education is open has re-energized my purpose and grounded my next steps. The reflection below captures where that journey is taking me.
OER are the tools. Open Education Is a Practice.
Last week in Austin, I joined my peers for the Year 2 Texas OER Fellowship meeting, led by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Division of Digital Learning and the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME). The fellowship’s vision is simple and ambitious: the future of Texas education is open, and we get there together.
The 2025 Texas OER Fellowship Year 2 cohort, joined by leaders from the Texas Higher Education Coordinated Board and ISKME, gathered in Austin to collaborate on advancing open education across the state.
For me, this gathering felt less like a conference and more like a mirror. My capstone project was already in motion long before I applied for the fellowship. Since becoming the Open Educational Resources Librarian at the The University of Texas at Arlington in October 2023, I’ve been navigating what it means to build, and rebuild, an open education culture that’s human first, tool second.
From Foundations to Fulfillment
UTA has been a leader in open education since 2017. Our OER publishing platform, Mavs Open Press, has produced numerous faculty-authored open textbooks. The university invests more than $400,000 annually to sustain this work, a remarkable commitment from leadership that has made OER adoption both possible and practical.
When I stepped into this role, I was new to OER and academic librarianship but not to the values that underpin them. My background is in public education, literacy, and learning. I’ve always been drawn to the kind of teaching that centers people, their access, their identities, and their capacity to grow when seen and supported. As a first-generation college student and a former Angel Tree kid, I know firsthand how access and belonging change lives. Open education feels like a way to repair what I once needed most.
The Research: Beyond Cost Savings
As I deepened my understanding of OER, I began noticing a pattern: much of the conversation stops at affordability and access. Yet the research shows that’s only the beginning.
Recent studies highlight that while OER adoption continues to expand affordability and access, the most significant gains occur when open pedagogy shifts practices, fosters belonging, and centers student voices.
Affordability & Access: OER reduce costs, expand day-one access, and are increasingly framed as social justice initiatives (Noone, 2024).
Beyond the Swap: Meta-analyses show negligible grade impacts from simple textbook replacement alone; gains appear when pedagogy shifts (Tlili et al., 2025).
Flexibility & Belonging: In virtual labs, OER enabled more flexible participation and stronger inclusion (Madhav, 2024).
Student Voices: When students published their work as OER, they reported more pride and less shame in learning (Kelly, 2025).
Faculty Practice: Successful OER use depends on alignment with accessibility, suitability, and goals (Noone, 2024; Madhav, 2024).
The takeaway is clear: OER are the tools. Open education is the practice.
Centering the Missing Stakeholders
As encouraging as this research is, one group has been largely missing from the center of the conversation: students. For years, open education efforts have focused on faculty adoption, publishing infrastructure, and institutional support. Only recently have I seen a meaningful uptick in studies, conference sessions, and community discussions acknowledging students as co-creators, not just beneficiaries.
At UTA, that gap is clear. Many students still don’t know what OER are or that their professors can choose free, high-quality materials. Bringing them into the movement, not just as users but as partners, is essential if we want open education to fulfill its promise of equity and belonging.
At UTA's Open Access Week 2025 event, "Who Owns Our Knowledge?", students paused between classes to talk about what it means to create, share, and access knowledge freely (and for a free donut).
My team and I have been working to close that gap. We recently submitted a lightning talk for the 2025 Open Education Conference in Denver, Colorado, where I’ll be heading next week to dive deeper into the learning and community around open education. Our talk highlights how we’ve begun shifting our outreach to intentionally include students, inviting them to see themselves not just as learners but as active participants in shaping what openness means at UTA.
From Tools to Trust
At UTA, we’ve long led with the tools, funding, publishing, and adoption support, and then circled back to the practice. It works, but only on the surface. The more profound transformation comes when faculty and students connect through openness as a shared practice, not a one-time act of substitution.
"Words of Despair Wordcloud" Wordcloud from 64 student responses describing how it feels to be unable to afford course material. "Sad", Frustrating", and "Stressful" were the most frequent words shared.
When I speak with students about OER, the gap becomes visible. Many have never heard the term. When they learn that faculty can choose free, high-quality materials instead of commercial textbooks, their reactions range from awe to frustration. Some realize a professor already made that choice for them, silently and generously, and it changes how they see their learning environment. That single decision builds trust, safety, and community before a word of instruction is ever spoken.
The Human Core of Open Education
The fellowship reinforced what I already sensed: open education isn’t just an access movement. It’s a human movement. It thrives on vulnerability, connection, and care, the same qualities that excellent teaching has always required.
Moments from the THECB OER Fellowship Year 2 Kickoff in Austin, Texas. Thinking hard, learning deeply, and finding joy in the community shaping the future of Open Education in Texas.
I see my role as a lead learner, not as an expert or gatekeeper, drawing on Kouzes and Posner’s Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership and Brené Brown’s research on shame and vulnerability. I build capacity, not dependence. Every project, conversation, and resource begins with a question: are people’s basic and psychological needs met enough to engage, contribute, and thrive? It’s my quiet version of Maslow’s hierarchy, always in the background.
My Capstone: Sharing Openly, Building Collectively
My capstone project embodies this philosophy. With my graduate research assistants, we're developing a research-informed, openly licensed Canvas course designed to build understanding of open education as both practice and mindset. The course will be freely available to anyone with an internet connection and sharable for reuse or remix across institutions and communities.
This work represents the next evolution of UTA’s open education journey, one that moves from implementation to transformation, from cost savings to connection, and from adoption to agency.
We are building something iterative, imperfect, and alive. As Maya Angelou reminds us, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better."
Open Education is how we do better together.
#OpenEducation #OER #HigherEd #HumanizingEducation #EquityInEducation #InclusiveTeaching #BelongingInLearning #StudentSuccess #TexasOERFellows #OpenPedagogy #DigitalLearning
References
Colvard, N. B., Watson, C. E., & Park, H. (n.d.). The Impact of Open Educational Resources on Various Student Success Metrics.
Kelly, A. E. (n.d.). Students as Co-Authors: Achievement Emotions, Beliefs About Writing, and OER Publishing Decisions. Open Praxis.
Madhav, N. (2024). Optimising Open Educational Resources and practises to Enable Inclusive Education. Teacher Education through Flexible Learning in Africa (TETFLE), 6, 165–184. https://doi.org/10.35293/tetfle.v6i1.5040
Noone, J., Champieux, R., Taha, A., Gran-Moravec, M., Hatfield, L., Cronin, S., & Shoemaker, R. (2024). Implementing open educational resources: Lessons learned. Journal of Professional Nursing, 55, 65–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2024.08.005
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Photos
All photos featured in this article were taken/created by me or shared with permission for open use and publication.
AI Acknowledgment
I use AI as a writing assistant and thought partner in both my personal and professional work. My process begins with original, freeform writing, which I then refine with AI support for grammar, organization, and flow. According to GAIDeT principles, generative AI tools were used under full human supervision for these limited editorial tasks. Responsibility for all research, verification, and final content rests entirely with me as the author.
Author’s Disclaimer
These reflections are my own and shared from my personal account. They don’t represent the official views or policies of the University of Texas at Arlington, but they do reflect the heart and curiosity I bring to my work there.
Humanizing Education by Tackling Textbook Costs and the Course Materials Crisis
Introduction
Imagine being a student trying to focus on learning, but every semester you're forced to make hard choices: Do I buy my textbooks or pay for groceries this month? This is the harsh reality many students face due to the skyrocketing cost of textbooks. Over the past four decades, textbook prices have increased more than 800%, far outpacing inflation, wages, and even tuition. Students are trapped in a cycle where the need for course materials comes at an ever-growing price, and yet, those very materials might not even be fully used in their courses.
This isn’t just a financial burden, it’s a barrier to education. When we talk about humanizing education, we need to recognize that affordability, accessibility, and the ability to participate fully in learning are crucial to empowering students. The traditional course materials industry, dominated by a few large publishers, has consistently failed to deliver these essentials, pushing students into impossible financial positions.
The Financial Strain on Students
For many students, the cost of textbooks can make or break their ability to succeed academically. On average, students in the U.S. spend between $500 and $1,000 annually on textbooks. In a survey by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), 65% of students reported that they’ve had to skip buying a required textbook due to its cost, despite knowing it could affect their grade. Even more alarming, students who work multiple jobs or are already under financial strain are disproportionately impacted, as they may be forced to forgo crucial study materials entirely.
This is not just about money; it's about access to learning. Students who can't afford textbooks are less likely to succeed academically, contributing to a system that rewards wealth over potential. If education is meant to be the great equalizer, then the current textbook system is failing.
Humanizing Education: Addressing the Real Needs of Students
At its core, humanizing education means recognizing that students are people, not just numbers or consumers. They come with diverse life experiences, financial constraints, and learning styles. Forcing them to pay exorbitant prices for textbooks—especially when those textbooks may not even be fully utilized—shows a disregard for their real needs.
Consider this:
40% of students report that faculty don’t use the full textbook in their courses, meaning they’re paying for content that they never even touch.
The digital divide makes it harder for students to access materials bundled with costly digital access codes, which often can’t be resold or reused.
These realities paint a picture of an industry that values profit over student success. Education should be about empowering students, not squeezing them financially. That’s where Open Educational Resources (OER) come in, offering a pathway to more humane, equitable learning environments.
OER as a Solution: Beyond Cost Savings
OER are freely available, openly licensed materials that anyone can use, adapt, and share. While their most immediate benefit is financial—helping students save thousands of dollars—they offer much more than just cost savings:
Accessibility: OER can be accessed anywhere, anytime, and often come in multiple formats to suit various learning styles.
Customization: Instructors can adapt OER to fit the specific needs of their course, meaning students only engage with relevant content.
Up-to-Date Content: Unlike traditional textbooks, which can become outdated quickly, OER can be updated frequently to reflect the latest research or developments in a field.
Student Empowerment: In many cases, students themselves can contribute to OER, transforming from passive consumers to active creators of knowledge. This aligns with humanizing education, where learning is participatory, and students have a voice in their educational journey.
Moreover, research shows that students using OER perform as well or better than those using traditional textbooks. The ability to access high-quality, free materials allows students to focus on learning, not stressing over how they’ll afford next semester’s books.
The Call to Action: We Can Do Better
If we truly care about humanizing education, we need to rethink the way we approach course materials. The course materials industry is built on a capitalist framework that prioritizes profit over learning. Practices like releasing frequent, minor textbook updates and bundling access codes into new editions are designed to lock students into expensive cycles without offering real value.
It's time to take a stand. By adopting OER, institutions and educators can break this cycle and give students what they need most: access to education without financial strain.
Here’s how we can start:
Faculty: Consider adopting OER for your courses. The cost savings are immediate, but the impact on student success is profound. You have the power to tailor these resources to your course’s needs, ensuring relevant, high-quality content.
Institutions: Support OER initiatives by providing faculty development, funding, and recognition for adopting open practices.
Students: Advocate for OER at your institution. Let your faculty and administrators know that the cost of textbooks affects your ability to succeed.
The future of education should be open, accessible, and human-centered. OER offers us the opportunity to build that future. Let’s seize it.
References:
Open Education Group. (2020). "OER and Student Success." Link to Open Education Group Study
SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). "The Case for OER." Link to SPARC Report
Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG). (2020). "Fixing the Broken Textbook Market." Link to PIRG Report
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2016). "The Rising Cost of Textbooks." Link to U.S. BLS Report
Reflecting on the Decline in OER Awareness and Leading the Way Forward
The world of education is constantly evolving, and as educators, it’s our job to adapt and lead the charge. A colleague recently shared Approaching a New Normal? Educational Resources in U.S. Higher Education, 2024, and while some of the findings were concerning, they’ve sparked something in me. This report shows a continued shift towards digital resources and the desire for flexible learning options, which is promising. But it also reveals a drop in OER awareness—a sobering 8% decline. Fewer faculty feel "very aware" of what OER can offer their teaching, and OER usage as required materials has decreased by 3% (Seaman, 2024).
At first glance, these numbers feel like a setback. But rather than discouraging me, they reaffirm why I do this work: to make education more accessible, equitable, and human. This isn’t just about data points—it’s about real students and educators who deserve learning environments that are flexible, affordable, and personalized. The decline in awareness is a challenge, but it's also a call to action. And I’m not in this fight alone. Alongside many dedicated colleagues, I’m working hard to turn these trends around.
Here’s how we’re meeting this moment, with hope and purpose:
OER Video Series: This is one of the projects closest to my heart. My team and I are creating a documentary series featuring the testimonies from faculty members as they dive into OER—exploring, adopting, and even creating their own resources. Through their stories, we’re shining a light on how transformative OER can be—not just for students, but for educators, too. These interviews remind me that OER is more than a tool—it’s a pathway to creating resources that reflect the true needs of our classrooms and communities. We’re putting the finishing touches on the videos, and I can’t wait to share these inspiring stories.
UTA Affordable Learning Initiative: As part of the 2024 Certification in Open Librarianship cohort, I’ve created and started implementation of a three-year initiative aimed at expanding OER usage at UTA. Our goal? To reduce textbook costs for students while ensuring that learning remains high-quality and accessible. It’s been a journey of patience, collaboration, and a lot of creativity. But every step of the way, I’m fueled by the belief that education can and should be more affordable—and that we can make that happen without sacrificing excellence.
OER Webinars & Workshops: This year, I’ve been organizing webinars and workshops designed to engage faculty, students, and administrators in meaningful conversations about OER. These sessions aren’t just about delivering information—they’re about creating a space for dialogue. I want people to feel comfortable asking questions, sharing their experiences, and walking away with practical tools to bring OER into their own contexts. These events may seem small in the grand scheme, but they’re a crucial step in rebuilding awareness and making OER feel accessible and exciting for everyone.
Open & AI Professional Learning Community (PLC): This fall, I’m co-facilitating a PLC that explores how AI and open education intersect. This is such a forward-looking initiative, designed to help educators think about how AI can enhance learning while staying true to ethical and human-centered values. It’s a reminder that education’s future isn’t just about adopting new technologies—it’s about doing so thoughtfully, with care and responsibility.
While the data from the report may seem daunting, I choose to see it as a reminder of why we do this work. There is so much to be hopeful about. The faculty and administrators I work with are deeply committed to open education, and the projects we’re leading together are already making a difference. It might feel like I’m just one librarian trying to tackle a huge problem, but I’ve learned that change happens through small, intentional actions. Each workshop, each conversation, and each new OER adoption brings us one step closer to creating a more open and equitable educational landscape.
I’m proud to be part of this movement. There’s a lot of work ahead, but together, I believe we can shift the trends and create a future where openness is the norm, not the exception.
At the heart of all this is a belief in community—a learning environment where everyone belongs and where knowledge is truly free and accessible to all.
Seaman, J., & Seaman, J. (2024). Approaching a New Normal?
Serving People vs. Serving Policy: A Call for Human-Centered Policies
In the world of education and beyond, there are two types of people: those who serve people and those who serve policy. Policies are ostensibly created to serve people, but do they always achieve this? The intention behind policy is often noble, but rigid adherence to policy can sometimes lead to losing sight of the very people it was designed to help.
Similarly, there are two types of organizations: those that write policy to benefit people and those that write policy to protect the organization. While balance is necessary, policies that prioritize organizational interests over human needs can become barriers rather than supports.
Policies are social constructs, created by individuals or groups with their own biases. If there's no room to re-evaluate and adjust policies when they fail to serve people effectively, their purpose becomes questionable, serving only the organization instead.
How often do we find ourselves saying, “My hands are tied due to policy”? Shouldn't we instead be asking, “What’s wrong with the policy?”
It’s easy to convince ourselves that we’re serving people when we’re actually serving a policy. This disconnect is profoundly disheartening.
As an educator and advocate for Open Educational Resources (OER), I find myself deeply grappling with these issues. I’m currently facing significant barriers, living the very challenges I strive to overcome. Navigating through personal and professional obstacles, I see firsthand how policies can sometimes hinder rather than help.
My journey is not just about questioning policies but actively working to break through these barriers. It’s about advocating for more flexible, compassionate policies that truly serve people. This struggle is real, and it’s a journey I’m committed to, despite the challenges.
As educators and advocates for OER, we must strive to create and uphold policies that truly serve our students and communities. Let’s challenge ourselves and our institutions to ensure that our policies reflect our commitment to humanizing education. This means being willing to revisit and revise policies that do not serve their intended purpose and advocating for change when necessary.
By prioritizing people over rigid policies, we can create a more inclusive and supportive educational environment where everyone can thrive. Let’s continue to question, challenge, and improve the policies that guide our work, always with the goal of better serving our students and communities.
In this article, "we" and "us" refer collectively to myself, individuals engaged in work related to Open Educational Resources (OER) or Open Pedagogy, and subscribers who have chosen to engage with this content. Our shared commitment to humanize the world unites us in this discourse.
It is important to note that the thoughts and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and contributors. They do not reflect the views, positions, or policies of our respective employers. The perspectives provided are based on personal experiences and professional insights.