2024 Open Education Conference

This session intentionally spotlights the often-overlooked aspect of embedding equity within the organizational fabric. Creating sustainable work environments is critical to the success of open initiatives and the people running and benefiting from them. Join organizational leaders and Board Directors as they share their reflections on running an equitable organization and how it manifests in team dynamics, Board interactions, strategic planning, goal setting, programming, and resource allocation. Speakers will share the lessons they learned from actively participating in and preserving cultures of care. They will reflect on their experiences participating in equity-focused strategic planning processes. What unexpected challenges and surprises have speakers encountered? Where does equity show up in leadership? Listen to this diverse and thoughtful group of leaders reflect on the business of equity and how truly embodying it can be rewarding beyond imagination.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Gain insight into the multifaceted nature of equity within educational organizations
• Identify key principles of equity that are critical to the long-term success and sustainability of educational organizations
• Discuss common challenges and barriers to implementing equitable practices within educational organizations and explore potential solutions and strategies for overcoming these obstacles
• Be encouraged to reflect on their own practices, share insights from their professional experiences, and collaborate on actionable steps for advancing equity within their workflows and organizational settings

The purpose of this study is to examine student experiences with and perceptions of online homework systems with access code costs. Postsecondary students (N = 966) completed a survey about online homework systems. Most students (79.5%) indicated that they had been required to purchase an access code for an online homework system and 29.4% reported their grade was hurt because they could not afford an access code. Black students reported more courses with required access codes for homework and reported that online homework systems were more helpful than other students. Latino/a/x students were more likely to report their grades were hurt by not affording access codes than other students. First-generation students reported they avoided courses with online homework systems (36.9%) more than continuing-generation students (23.9%). Overall, the findings indicate that the cost of online homework systems is a barrier to education, and alternatives should be further developed and promoted.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Understand the financial burden of online homework systems with purchased access codes
• Report the inequitable requirements of purchasing access to online homework systems across racial and ethnic groups.
• Analyze the perceived benefits of online homework systems relative to the financial cost.
• Evaluate the need for no/low cost open online homework systems in higher education.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) made a definite splash in higher education over the past two years providing opportunities to transform how we teach students. We’ve noticed that students don’t wait to learn about ethics, privacy concerns, or best practices of AI use before incorporating it into their lives. This gap presents a place to intervene and teach AI literacy in our courses. In this presentation, we share how we designed our course “Arts&Sci 3120: Information, Citizenship, & Social Justice” using open pedagogy for a semester-long Pressbooks project and how we incorporate two scaffolded AI assignments that students might use for the content they create for their chapter. Our course assignments use several tools throughout the semester like H5P, Hypothes.is, goblin.tools, AI generative tools, and Pressbooks. Attendees leave equipped with ideas for integrating AI and Open Pedagogy into their teaching practices and templates for replicating our AI assignments at their institutions.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Cultivate strategies that embrace open pedagogy when integrating AI tools into assignments, fostering critical thinking and responsible engagement with AI technologies within teaching practices.
• Reflect on personal teaching practices and pedagogical approaches to effectively integrate AI literacy into instruction.
• Understand how to scaffold an open pedagogy project throughout a course while using AI as an option for students to complete course components ethically

Slides: They Won't Wait: Teaching AI Best Practices Within an Open Pedagogy Framework
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/amandaclarson

OER provides the toolbox for modernizing higher education while curriculum improvements provide the design. Since 2016 Prince George's Community College and LibreTexts have used this synergy to build new STEM courses attracting significant external support. PGCC created new engineering OER in collaboration with LibreTexts. This was the basis for a NASA grant which also modernized teaching labs. PGCC then became one of the partner institutions in the inaugural Open Textbook Pilot program. The college provided additional support. To date, there are over 60 custom textbooks which have been used by over 1000 sections and by over 15,000 students. A second NASA sponsored grant is developing STEM majors at PGCC that are coordinated with the curriculum at the University of Maryland. Relieving the textbook cost burden on students has driven OER creation, but support of new, better and up-to-date curricula is where OER really shines.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• The benefits of refocusing the OER creation on curriculum improvement.
• How the creation and use of OER can be used to support grant proposals attracting new external funding
• How innovative OER improves and spreads the reputation of the authors and their institution

In this talk, I will explore the process of developing social media campaigns on X (formerly Twitter), Mastodon, and LinkedIn to encourage platform users to engage with open access texts and provide visibility to those who choose to make their work publicly accessible. In my role on the community team for Knowledge Commons, I've collaborated with both students and full-time team members to develop campaigns highlighting the works our users have added to our open access repository. The session will delve into the creation process for developing such campaigns, which have included a regular monthly spotlight as well as special virtual event features. Topics covered will include the pros and cons of various social media platforms, suggestions for managing workflows in a small team, and creative ways to celebrate openly published texts. This presentation is suitable for anyone interested in learning more about using social media to reach a wider audience for their open work.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Explain the connections between the current social media landscape and open education
• Describe the challenges of identifying a suitable platform for making connections with social media users
• Develop a social media campaign highlighting open publishing
• Implement basic and recurring social media campaigns to promote the values of open publishing

Since it's inception, the open education movement has spread worldwide and recruited countless advocates to it's cause. However, new textbook sales models such as "Inclusive Access" programs stand to compromise the progress these advocates have made over the past several years. In order to ensure that this progress can continue, it is critical that advocates are equipped with the skills they need to drive forward open education initiatives in their local context. This session will equip attendees with foundational advocacy skills that can be used to drive change at their institutions and beyond. Attendees will learn how to "think like an advocate", including how to frame problems, set goals, develop strategies, and pitch solutions. While the skills taught can be applied to advocacy on any topic, this session will specifically center the issue of “Inclusive Access” programs and the threat these model presents to the goals of open education initiatives.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Use problem and solution frameworks to set advocacy goals.
• Assess stakeholders and understand their motivations with respect to an issue.
• Analyze decision-making processes and develop strategies to influence decision-makers.
• Effectively pitch an “ask” to decision-makers and respond to challenging questions.
• Start an advocacy plan on an issue of importance to capacity building efforts in their local context.

College and University Governing Boards and Trustees have fiduciary responsibility for the institutions they serve. What are the responsibilities of college and university trustees and governing boards? What is the best way to communicate and educate them about open educational resources, textbooks, and the impact high-level decisions have on the success of students? Join Dr. Tanya Spilovoy, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and Jeff Seaman, PhD, Researcher with Bayview Research, to explore the intersection of trusteeship and high-level decision makers’ impact on course materials. How can we work with College and University Governing Boards and Trustees to have a greater impact on awareness and use of open resources? Multiple factors are critical in an approach to Boards and Trustees, and you will be asked to create a strategic plan for board engagement.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Talk confidently about the role of governing boards and trustees of a college and/or university.
• Plan an approach and/or communication strategy to inform board members about open educational resources, course materials, textbooks, and the impact on students.
• Understand the data and research regarding board and trustees’ oversight regarding course materials, publishing contracts, funding, or initiatives.
• Engage efficiently and effectively with trustees to communicate about OER

In 2017 Paul Stacey and Sarah Hinchliff Pearson co-authored “Made with Creative Commons.” They introduced the open education world to the concept of open business models and shared case studies of businesses sharing to make the world a better place, generating revenue not for unlimited growth but to sustain the operation. Since 2017 the conversation on sustainability and open business models seems to have dissipated, and it’s a vital conversation for open education advocates to continue to have and to learn from each other. In this presentation we will share examples of sustainable open business models and share key questions to ask when developing a sustainability model. In addition, participants will actively engage in brainstorming and ideation to analyze past sustainability efforts, identify challenges encountered, and envision future possibilities.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Gain knowledge about the concept of open business models and how they differ from traditional models.
• Participants will be introduced to case studies of businesses that have implemented open business models, demonstrating how sharing can contribute to making the world a better place.
• Learn about the necessity of sustainability for the long-term operation of businesses in the context of open education.
• The presentation will provide attendees with key questions to consider when developing sustainable open business models. This could include questions about revenue generation, community engagement, and impact assessment.
• Attendees will be encouraged to continue the conversation on sustainability and open business models within the open education community. This involves learning from each other's experiences and sharing knowledge to further advance sustainable practices.

Presentation Slides

Camosun College has been engaging in Open Education for many years with no formal support and faculty working off the sides of their desk with little to no recognition, and certainly no recognition at the institutional level. In 2023, we awarded one faculty member with a certificate for his work developing an Open Textbook. But that was not enough. This year, during Open Education Week and with the support of BCcampus, we decided to highlight Open Education work in an Open Education Recognition Awards ceremony. The concept was simple: recognize faculty members who have made profound contributions to open education at Camosun College and demonstrated an impact on student learning and student costs by utilizing, designing, or adapting open resources in their instruction. This presentation will tell the story of why we chose recognition over achievement, how we chose the faculty we recognized, as well as give you some ideas of how you could do the same at your own institutions.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Explore how one small institution with no formal Open Education office recognized 41 faculty members for their work in Open Education
• Learn how you can also initiate similar recognition opportunities at your own institution
• Gather tips from lessons learned around how to make such an event a success

I am a historian, a professor, a developer of curriculum and I also happen to have Multiple Sclerosis. In my journey, I have experienced many reasons why hope was all I had left. And I decided that I wanted to write my story as a means to help others deal with times they felt hopeless. As such, I published my story through OER. I then went on to develop the first Disability minor in any Ontario college, at the degree level. As part of the mandate of this program, it was essential that we include the lived experiences of people who have disabilities of all kinds. And thus, my story (and others) were combined into what I loosely refer to as the Hope Project. In this session, I would like to share how I have learned from the past, while teaching students about the present, and giving them hope for the future. And through the disability minor, I am helping develop disability advocates in my students. The joy in this privileged experience is worth sharing here.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Foster collaboration and innovative solutions for disability-related issues
• Promote inclusive thinking, advocacy for social inclusion and help empower students to challenge societal norms
• Advocate for accessibility and equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities
• Assist students in understanding the importance of sharing the lived experiences of others

Join us in this interactive workshop for a hands-on exploration of Open UDL, a new pedagogical approach at the intersection of Open Educational Practices (OEP) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that we developed for one of our advanced faculty workshops. After a short introduction to the ways UDL and OEP complement each other, we will dive into interactive group activities to map the overlap of the principles of both approaches, review assessments from various disciplines through the Open UDL lens, and develop next steps for your own Open UDL practice. There will be plenty of time for discussion, plus we will provide a digital swagbag of resources, hoping you will leave feeling inspired and equipped to explore Open UDL and apply it to your courses, programs, or instructional design practice. This workshop is designed to benefit instructors, course developers, program directors, instructional designers, and CTL staff.
Link to presentation slide deck.
Link to handout.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Define Open UDL; ie., identifying how UDL guidelines overlap with the attributes of OER and Open Pedagogy.
• Critique sample assignments and assessments through the lens of Open UDL.
• Articulate one achievable next step for implementing Open UDL in their courses, their programs, or their instructional design practice.

Emerging OER leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the development of newcomers to open. Despite the plethora of professional development opportunities available, facilitation methods are not often recognized as a critical leadership skill. Presenters will reflect on 3 years of a Facilitator Pathway program, announced during the 2021 Open Education Conference, and how this skill set has affirmed their growth and standing as leaders. This session will delve into the creation and implementation of a professional development facilitator program tailored for faculty, librarians, technologists, and staff. Speakers will describe how increased training in facilitation methods empowered them to integrate their experiences into pedagogy, establish meaningful connections with students, and improve outcomes. We’ll also share the benefits of establishing a virtual community of practice amongst facilitators to improve their teaching practice, strengthen networks, and improve the pathway program.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Learn from emerging leaders who have intentionally embarked on year-long professional development programs to enhance their potential
• Gain insight into the unique skill sets, responsibilities, and impact of emerging OER leaders as they influence faculty or contribute to capacity building initiatives
• Understand how facilitation prepares individuals for leadership roles
• Understand the critical role of facilitation in supporting OER initiatives, fostering collaboration, driving project success, and establishing OER champions
• Explore practical strategies for integrating facilitation methods into their own practice as emerging OER leaders

One of the benefits of open licenses is the ability for others to take an OER and adapt it to make it more inclusive. But what does that mean? What is involved in that process? Where do you begin? In this session, we share our reflections on a 10-month collaborative, multi-institutional project to adapt an Introduction to Psychology open textbook through the lenses of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will share our process, successes, and insights we gained through this project. We will talk about collaboration, roles, how students contributed to the adaptation, and our one-day sprint to get all the content into Pressbooks. We will also share the challenges we experienced and explore the question: “If we could do it all again, what would we do differently?”

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Define what an equity, diversity, and inclusion OER adaptation project involves (or could involve).
• Describe the roles people can play in a collaborative OER adaptation project focused on equity.
• Critically consider the limitations of adaptation when wanting to create an OER that centres equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Reflect on your own OER projects to identify opportunities to make them more inclusive and collaborative.