An Investigation Into Student Perceptions of Social Justice Frames in a Course Syllabus

This study applied Lambert’s 3R framework (redistributive, recognitive, and representational justice) to explore the impact of social justice framing and open educational practices on undergraduate students’ perceptions. Using a within-subjects design, 191 participants were exposed to four hypothetical course syllabi, each reflecting different combinations of justice frames and open educational practices. The study examined how these social justice frames influenced students’ intentions to register for the course, their sense of belonging, perceptions of faculty and staff relations, and their evaluation of the instructor. Results indicated that increased social justice framing led to greater intent to register, more positive perceptions of school support and acceptance, better relations with faculty and staff, and higher instructor evaluations. Importantly, the effects of social justice framing were consistent across participants with varying numbers of marginalized identities, suggesting that these interventions may benefit diverse student populations. This study contributes to the literature on social justice and open educational practices by demonstrating how social justice-oriented course design can foster a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.