Tiffani Tijerina, Ph.D.

Tiffani Tijerina, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Writing at UA Little Rock. She holds a Ph.D. in Technical Communication and Rhetoric from Texas Tech University and an M.A. in Instructional Design and Technology from Georgia State University. Dr. Tijerina’s research and teaching focus on technical and professional writing and editing, open education and open pedagogy, and instructional design and technology. She is the editor of the Open Education Award-winning Pedagogy Opened: Innovative Theory and Practice, co-author of the Open Education Award-winning Open Technical Communication 1e and 2e, and faculty author of Open Professional and Technical Editing with Handbook. Her previous experience includes teaching at Kennesaw State University, Texas Tech University, and Georgia Institute of Technology; she also previously served as instructional designer at Kennesaw State University and program manager for Affordable Learning Georgia at the University System of Georgia. Dr. Tijerina lives in Little Rock with her husband, two young children, one dog, and two cats.

• Ph.D., Technical Communication and Rhetoric, Texas Tech University
• M.A., Instructional Design and Technology, Georgia State University
• B.A., English, Kennesaw State University

Works in Progress:

• Empowering online writers: Evaluating equity, motivation, and self-advocacy through ungrading in online first-year composition. Expected 2027.
• Co-authoring credibility: Evaluating long-term impact and student trust in an open professional editing textbook. Expected 2027.

Selected Publications:

• Tijerina, T. & Powell, T. (2026). Efficiency in evolution: Leveraging generative AI for the revision of open textbooks. In AI & OER Case Studies. Driving OER Sustainability for Student Success (DOERS). https://open.library.okstate.edu/ai-oercasestudies/chapter/efficiency-in-evolution-leveraging-generative-ai-for-the-revision-of-open-textbooks/
• Tijerina, T.; Crumby, M.; Anderson, A.; Steele, A.; Darden, H.; Peterson, H.; & Brown, O. (2026). Open Professional and Technical Editing with Handbook. Pressbooks UARK. https://uark.pressbooks.pub/open-pte/
• Tijerina, T.; Powell, T.; Jimmerson, M.; & Rissen, J. (2025). Open Technical Communication, 2e. OpenALG. https://open-tc.com
• Tijerina, T. (2025). A case for open educational resources in technical and professional communication scholarship: Active equality applied. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 55(4), 447-467. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00472816251326502
• Tijerina, T. (Ed.). (2024). Pedagogy Opened: Innovative Theory and Practice. University of North Georgia Press. https://alg.manifoldapp.org/projects/pedagogy-opened
• Tijerina, T. (2023). ‘But who really pays when it’s free?’: Debunking publisher claims about OER in writing courses. Communication Design Quarterly, 11(4), 45-48. https://cdq.sigdoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/CDQ-11.4.pdf
• Tijerina, T. (2023). Fostering student agency through ungrading: Project- and portfolio-based methods. Journal of Open Educational Resources in Higher Education, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.13001/joerhe.v2i1.7847
• Tijerina, T. & Arnett, E. J. (2023). Perspectives from a departmental adoption of an open technical communication textbook. Programmatic Perspectives, 14(1). https://programmaticperspectives.cptsc.org/index.php/jpp/article/view/40
• Tijerina, T.; Powell, T.; Arnett, J.; Logan, M.; & Race, C. (2020). Open Technical Communication. OpenALG. Originally published as Sexy Technical Communication (2016). https://alg.manifoldapp.org/projects/open-technical-communication

Selected Awards and Honors:

• Open Education Award for Excellence in Open Pedagagy (2025) https://awards.oeglobal.org/awards/2025/open-practices/pedagogy-opened/
• Kairos Graduate Student and Adjunct Award for Teaching (2023)
• Open Education Award for Excellence in Open Reuse/Remix/Adaptation (2022) https://awards.oeglobal.org/awards/2022/open-reuse-remix-adaptation/open-technical-communication/
• Wagner Outstanding Instructional Support Award, Distance Learning Administration (2016)

• University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Writing (8/2025-present)
  • RHET 54673/ENGL 44673: Special Topics in Technical Writing – Self Publishing
  • RHET 52273/ENGL 42273: Advanced Editing
  • ENGL 32292: Introduction to Professional and Technical Writing
  • ENGL 30203: Technical Writing
  • ENGL 30193: Editing for Usage and Style
  • ENGL 10103: Composition I
• Georgia Institute of Technology, Visiting Lecturer (1/2025-7/2025)
  • LMC 3403: Technical Writing
• Texas Tech University, Instructor (8/2020-12/2024)
  • ENGL 2311: Technical Writing
  • ENGL 3369: Information Design
• Kennesaw State University, Instructor (8/2017-12/2024)
  • TCOM 2010: Technical Writing
  • TCOM 3030: Instructional Design

• Southern Regional Education Board, Open Education Consultant (11/2025-7/2026)
• Open Oregon Educational Resources, Contract Instructional Designer (2/2024-11/2024)
• GALILEO/University System of Georgia, Program Manager for Affordable Learning Georgia (2/2020-6/2022)
• Kennesaw State University, Instructional Designer (5/2015-1/2020)
• eDesign Shop, Contract Instructional Designer (7/2017-9/2019)