From Zine to Online Gallery: Growing and Reflecting in the Open

AUTHORS

• Chelsea Nesvig, Campus Library, UW Bothell
• Denise Hattwig, Campus Library, UW Bothell
• Deborah Hathaway, Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, UW Bothell

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ABSTRACT

The UW Bothell course BCUSP 100: General Learning Strategies attracts students in various stages of their college career seeking new approaches to learning skills. This recent collaboration between faculty member, librarian, and head of digital scholarship formed a new approach to address course changes brought on by the pandemic. Previously, the final project was a Zine, which provided students a creative way to reflect on their experiences and develop skills for self-expression. After realizing that a zine-based project was not effective in an online space, we created an open course site in UW Libraries’ DS Hosting platform where students could share artifacts and reflections related to course themes.

An initial assignment introducing the concept of open work encouraged students to think about their contributions during the quarter in a new way. This provided an opportunity to assess their experiences with open work and revealed most had not submitted work to an open environment. They expressed eagerness to try the process and consider how they would represent themselves on the site. While the zines were created individually and at the end of the course, use of the site required weekly reflections on course themes and was a vital part of the students’ whole experience. These reflections were accessible to all, without spotlighting any particular voice. They also served as inspiration for the final project, giving students an opportunity to reflect on their own ideas and those of their peers. Others can use this open site model to break out of the silos that Canvas creates and provide new options for assignment design. Instructors can also consider how open work is utilized in their classes and how to support development of critical thinking skills in open environments.

SUMMARY

RESEARCH QUESTION

The UW Bothell course BCUSP 100: General Learning Strategies attracts students in various stages of their college career seeking new approaches to learning skills. This recent collaboration between faculty member, librarian, and head of digital scholarship formed a new approach to address course changes brought on by the pandemic.

RESEARCH METHODS / SCHOLARLY BASIS

Previously, the final project was a Zine, which provided students a creative way to reflect on their experiences and develop skills for self-expression. After realizing that a zine-based project was not effective in an online space, we created an open course site in UW Libraries’ DS Hosting platform where students could share artifacts and reflections related to course themes. An initial assignment introducing the concept of open work encouraged students to think about their contributions during the quarter in a new way. This provided an opportunity to assess their experiences with open work and revealed most had not submitted work to an open environment.

RESULTS

Students expressed eagerness to try the process and consider how they would represent themselves on the site. While the zines were created individually and at the end of the course, use of the site required weekly reflections on course themes and was a vital part of the students’ whole experience. These reflections were accessible to all, without spotlighting any particular voice. They also served as inspiration for the final project, giving students an opportunity to reflect on their own ideas and those of their peers.

APPLICATION

Others can use this open site model to break out of the silos that Canvas creates and provide new options for assignment design. Instructors can also consider how open work is utilized in their classes and how to support development of critical thinking skills in open environments.