By Hailey Ferris, Rebecca Olson, and Mckenna Sonday, OSU College of Liberal Arts
Introduction (Rebecca)
In 2016, I initiated what would become a long-term teaching and public humanities project, a student-edited open textbook Romeo and Juliet, published with OSU’s Open Educational Resources. An innovative edition of a Shakespeare play insofar as it was designed by students, for students, since 2023 our Romeo and Juliet has enjoyed more than 77,000 users in over 140 different countries.
Here on campus, about 150 students have worked on the project, many of whom have gone on to talk about their role in job interviews. Four distinct sections of ENG 435/535 (Studies in Shakespeare) have learned about Shakespeare’s print history and applied editing theory while completing a specific project goal: comparing early printed editions of the play to create a “conflated” edition, revising the text and footnotes for accessibility, adding supplementary teaching resources, and recording an audiobook version. The most recent editorial team (Winter 2026) finished producing and began to promote the audiobook, which was professionally edited with support from a Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) Teaching Mini-Grant and School of Writing, Literature, and Film Smith Funds.
As instructor and project manager, starting again with each new group of students is a challenge, but the benefits are immense: over time we have created a valuable public resource that could never be completed in a single ten-week term. It is also deeply rewarding to watch students build on, appreciate, and critique the work of their predecessors, which helps them develop a keen understanding of their own cultural moment. Here, two recent student editors share their perspectives about sustained student collaboration.
Navigating the pressure of time (Mckenna)
Coming into this class, we inherited something that already had a lot of work, care, and effort poured into it. However, one challenge we faced was inheriting a set of decisions that we had no influence on, and did not have a fully rounded or clear understanding of intention behind, which in the field of editing can be huge. Because this is an eleven-week course, we were expected to come in and immediately break into groups and start working with a quick turnaround. Having any sort of gap in understanding of intention can leave things somewhat to chance. At the same time, this collaborative experience is also what makes this project special. Different groups of students can make their mark on a bigger project and in the end it becomes a collective effort across many years. Only having eleven weeks to organize and effectively contribute to the project proved difficult. Working with a project like this meant that there was so much that each of us wanted to do, and little time to do it in. Along with our assignment for the class we had to figure out how to re-record material, market the project both on and off campus and synthesize online pedagogical materials.
Exercising agency in a group project (Hailey)
When we first entered this course, Professor Olson asked what we individually wanted to get out of this project. In a class full of English majors, we all have very different goals with our degrees. Professor Olson recognized that we might not all want to be editors or publishers despite the nature of our overarching project. Because of this, we were given the opportunity to choose how our personal skills could apply to the publishing of this audiobook. The students in our class came up with goals regarding recording, marketing, creating pedagogical materials, OER outreach, and disseminating project outcomes. With these sections created, we formed groups with one another and were given class time to discuss outlines and timelines for our specific project goals. Individually, we created position descriptions that included a summary, guidelines for decision making, and specific duties for each member of the group all of which were to be completed throughout the Winter 2026 term. Professor Olson facilitated our groups, but let us students lead our own positions within the overall project. This created an incredibly rewarding experience for me and my peers that allowed us to gain experience in our desired fields while furthering the creation and publication of our Romeo and Juliet audiobook.
Conclusion (Rebecca)
A pedagogical project carried out over many terms, with different students, requires a rapid pace—students must quickly catch up with the progress so far and figure out how their own contributions can move it forward. This often means jumping in before we fully understand why something has been done or how to do something new and making mistakes! On the other hand, there is a real opportunity to make your own mark, either as an individual or as a group, on the history of a project, developing real-world skills in creative community.
About the authors:
Hailey Ferris is a recent graduate of English from the School of Writing, Literature, and Film. She has five years of K-12 volunteer experience and hopes to begin a Master in Arts of Teaching program in the fall to pursue secondary English education.
Rebecca Olson is Professor of English in the School of Writing, Literature, and Film. Her publications include essays in the volumes MLA Approaches to Teaching Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (2024) and Teaching Shakespeare Beyond the Major: Strategies and Approaches in the General Education Classroom (2024).
Mckenna Sonday is a graduating senior majoring in English in the College of Liberal Arts and the School of Writing, Literature, and Film. She currently works as a reporter, media producer, and caretaker, with a focus on science storytelling and community centered communication. She is seeking opportunities in communications, media, or writing.
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