Appendix B: Legend for Table 2 Emergent Large Patterns in the Dedicated OER Policy Corpus

Introduction

Close readings of a dedicated OER policy corpus by the researcher, informed by distant reading, through a hermeneutic approach to explore and understand the meaning of OER in a dedicated OER policy corpus, involved cycles of understanding compelling words and phrases and new contexts. Emergent large patterns in the corpus text were outlined as boxes to delineate areas of texts with similar meaning and context. These dedicated OER policy corpus patterns have been condensed to: branding, Creative Commons (CC) copy, licenses, metadata, OER definition, preamble, and roles.

Legend For Box Annotations

Branding (B) [orange box]

Branding is defined as “distinctive wording or design used to identify a particular” (“Branding,” 2021) post-secondary institution. Area(s) of the dedicated OER policy documents indicating, but not limited to, identification of institution, such as name, logo, and photos.

CC copy (CC) [red box]

Area(s) of the dedicated OER policy documents presenting a copy of all Creative Commons licences.

Liability (Lia) [grey box]

Area(s) of the dedicated OER policy documents indicating, but not limited to, consideration for liability, such as sections with liability as the heading and disclaimer statements. See the glossary for definition of liability.

Licenses (Lic) [black box]

Area(s) of the dedicated OER policy documents indicating, but not limited to, directive(s) on institutional OER license(s), such as Creative Commons copyright designations. The licenses area tended to overlap with the liability areas in the corpus.

Metadata (M) [yellow box]

Area(s) in the dedicated OER policy documents, that contextually positioned the document, as data that described the body of data (“Metadata,” 2021); in locations such as headers, footers, and front matter indicating, but not limited to, provenance, dates, versions, copyright, and references. Furthermore, there could be instances of data identifying other data external to the document such as related policy.

OER definition (OER) [green box]

Area of dedicated OER policy documents indicating a definition of Open Educational Resources, including but not limited to a description of materials and use. See the glossary for a definition of OER.

Preamble (P) [blue box]

Preamble is defined as the part of the policy introduction “stating its purpose, aims, and justification” (“Preamble,” 2021). Area(s) of the dedicated OER policy documents indicating, but not limited to, institutional background information such as open and distant learning, context for OER, and rationale for OER.

Roles (R) [purple box]

Roles is defined as “the function assumed or part played by a person or thing in a particular situation” (“Role,” 2021). Area(s) of the dedicated OER policy documents indicating, but not limited to, organisational designates for OER, such as institutional units, positions, and people.

Legend For Text Highlight Annotations

Significant Compelling Words and Phrases [light red highlight]

Words and phrases in policy documents of the corpus that prompted higher attention than yellow highlight in the context of understanding OER in dedicated OER policy, such as student engagement with OER.

Compelling Words and Phrases [light yellow highlight]

Words and phrases in policy documents of the corpus that prompted attention in the context of understanding OER in dedicated OER policy, such as the use of shall and will in the corpus.

Legend For Text Notes Annotations

Text Note [text box with yellow background]

Comments and questions prompted from terms, phrases, and document sections, such as educator or student-centric involvement with the production of OER.

Anchored Note [yellow note icon]

Expanded text notes of comments and questions prompted by terms, phrases, and document sections.