2024 Open Education Conference

New technologies and research around learning offer opportunities to more authentically implement social justice in Open Educational Resources. In the current paradigm, individual faculty generally receive one-time funding (and little to no technological and pedagogical support) to produce largely unreviewed products. While this paradigm is shifting to a more supported, accountable, and sustainable structure, there is a golden opportunity to reimagine OER creation practices with social justice as the foundation. In centering a social justice framework, our project compelled us to reconsider our assumptions about who, how, and what was involved in the OER creation process. To infuse redistributive, recognitive, and representational justice into our OER, we reconsidered personnel, design, and tools. Our session invites participants to imagine what placing Lambert’s Social Justice Framework at the center of OER means for the world of Open in a rapidly evolving era.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Analyze current and developing Open Educational Resources for their implementation of the three R’s of Lambert’s (2018) Social Justice Framework.
• Assess the implications of current practices in OER development for key challenges such as quality, searchability, and sustainability.
• Determine strategies to shift the current paradigm in OER creation to prioritize both the aspirational and the practical.

Open education is a fundamental part of student success in institutions of higher learning. Many librarians are critical in advocating for and leading open education programming. This graphic poster aims to share how librarians have been at the forefront of cultivating the next generation dedicated to the open movement. It highlights ways librarians can influence students on campus and beyond to become advocates, leaders, or champions of the open education movement. The presenter researched existing literature and conducted a brief survey among librarians to gather qualitative data on ways the younger generation in higher learning institutions can mold into future leaders and advocates for open education.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Apply strategies to mentor young leaders and advocates of open education in their environments.
• Consult scholarly works about ways young open education leaders can be cultivated.

Since 2014, Jeff Gallant has been on a data odyssey, from managing Affordable Learning Georgia's humble data origins in annual cost savings estimates to wrangling a system of gigantic, unwieldy spreadsheets which only could communicate with each other through application-breaking formulas and a dice roll that Excel would not crash. It's about time that he fixed this mess - and you can fix it, too! Join Jeff in an exploration of dimensions, tall data, folders imitating databases, and ultimately a new level in data connections and visualizations.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Explain the difference between dimension tables and fact tables
• Convert a wide spreadsheet into a system of dimensions and tall data
• Connect fact tables together using a folder system
• Connect disparate data with each other through data modeling

For nearly 500 years, copyright has been a primary mechanism on which our systems of authorship and sharing operate; a must-have for creators to benefit from their hard work. But if we evaluate that claim, the picture is murkier. Has copyright spurred creativity? Or has it commodified a societal good? Has it helped the best works rise to the surface? Or caused us to value all the wrong things? And with all the speculation about how AI is going to “kill copyright” (or vice versa), it seems like we’re on track for a crisis in how we incentivize and reward creativity. If that's the case, the open community is better positioned than most: we already employ a host of different methods to incentivize creation that aren’t necessarily reliant on copyright. This panel will discuss the nuances of intellectual property, capitalism, creativity, and change management. How do we get from where we are to where we want to be? What are we doing now that helps - or hinders - our journey there?

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Attendees will gain an understanding of the history of copyright and the intersection with capitalism and colonialism
• Attendees will learn about the variety of ways societies have encouraged creativity and authorship beyond intellectual property rights
• Participants will explore the ways in which open education is already leveraging alternatives to copyright-based incentive structures
• Participants will discuss the ways in which open licensing may or may not reinforce copyright
• Participants will discuss the ways in which copyright’s rules, incentives, and boundaries do or do not serve the many purposes of authorship

Course marking provides students with the agency to make informed decisions at the time of registration based on their financial situations and helps to amplify redistributive justice, making sure all students have the required materials they need to meaningfully engage in their courses. Our presentation will share how the New England Board of Higher Education developed a regional, multi-institutional community of practice to not only help guide the implementation of course marking efforts for these colleges and universities but to also build sustainable networks of peers in the independent sector. We’ve gathered lessons learned and proud moments from each of our participating institutions to share with attendees “promising practices” (because what’s best for one is not always for others). Our presentation will conclude with newly gathered data about student behavior and course marking as well as a downloadable, openly-licensed course marking campaign-in-a-box so that attendees can get started right away!

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Illustrate the value of a cross-functional team as well as a cross-institutional community of practice when considering course marking
• Identify potential challenges and promising practices
• Identify how course marking may impact student registration behavior
• Access real-time resources to start or improve upon their own initiatives

Access to quality education and equitable participation in educational opportunities are critical for sustainable development. However, many Ethiopian learners face barriers in accessing open educational resources (OER) and participating in open education initiatives. This research aims to investigate the current state of access and equity in open education for Ethiopian learners. By examining factors such as digital literacy, internet connectivity, and language barriers, the study will identify the challenges faced by learners. The research will also explore learner attitudes towards open education and its impact on engagement and utilization of OER. The study will propose policies, and interventions to enhance access and equity in open education. The research will involve consultations with stakeholders to gather diverse perspectives and recommendations. The study's outputs will include a comprehensive report, and policy recommendations.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the access and equity gaps in open education for Ethiopian learners.
• Participants will identify the barriers and challenges faced by Ethiopian learners in accessing open educational resources and participating in open education initiatives.
• Participants will explore strategies, interventions, and policies that can enhance access and equity in open education for Ethiopian learners.
• Participants will learn about successful examples of open education initiatives and interventions that have addressed access and equity considerations in Ethiopia.
• Participants will be equipped with practical recommendations and actionable strategies to promote inclusive and equitable access to quality education through open education approaches in Ethiopia