Positionality Statement

As an instructional designer, educator, and long-time teacher, I approach this OER with a commitment to inclusive, human-centered design. I believe learning should welcome diverse identities and lived experiences, and that learners should be invited not only to engage with content but also to help shape it. Many chapters in this resource were co-created with students, whose voices and insights enrich the work. I also view accessibility as more than just meeting technical standards for screen readers and formatting (though this is indeed important and something I am still learning and practicing). It means making ideas understandable, approachable, and usable by a wide range of readers. That’s why this OER was written with clarity in mind. Indeed, for the student chapters, one of the requirements was to ensure the language was written at a ninth-grade reading level as that was the national average in 2007. (Soricon, et al), though that continues to drop (Sparx Services, n.d.). My own background as a white, U.S.-based educator shapes the perspective I bring, and I welcome readers to engage critically, contribute, and extend the work in ways that reflect their own contexts.