Andrea Dunn: Leading Change Through Course Materials and OER

Episode DescriptionIn this episode of the Engaged By Design Podcast, Dr. Michael Cottam and Dr. Vernon Smith are joined by Andrea Dunn, a strategic technology and operations leader with more than 20 years of experience driving large-scale initiatives in higher education.Andrea shares behind-the-scenes insights from her work leading enterprise course materials and Open Educational Resource (OER) initiatives at scale—impacting tens of thousands of learners. Together, we explore what it really takes to implement meaningful change across complex systems while keeping students, faculty, and staff at the center.This conversation is especially valuable for leaders working from the middle—those navigating priorities, resistance, and execution across institutional boundaries.In this episode, we discuss:How OER and digital course materials can reduce cost while improving access and learning outcomesWhat large-scale change looks like behind the scenes in higher educationHow agile and product-focused leadership supports sustainable innovationWhy listening, iteration, and empathy matter as much as strategyWhether you work in academic leadership, instructional design, IT, or student support, this episode offers practical lessons for leading change thoughtfully and effectively.Join us at www.engagedbydesign.com to learn more aboutThe Course Design Accelerator Faculty-in-the-Loop AI in Higher Education