2024 Open Education Conference

Education is more than what we teach. More memorable than the content of various textbooks is the interaction between students and their peers guided by their instructors. It is high time that Open Educational Resources evolve to support holistic teaching and learning experiences, in addition to providing accessible textbooks for content acquisition. This presentation invites participants to immerse themselves in an interactive, scenario-based activity, equipping them with the confidence to establish collaborative learning environments within their STEAM courses. Additional role-playing and case studies will be introduced, and participants will have the opportunity to create tailored activities that cater to their unique instructional needs. The activities presented will explore the concept of providing appropriate support for students with diverse abilities, levels of preparation and participation, and facilitate collaborative learning experiences that resonate with all students.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Implement a case-study activity in their classrooms with confidence.
• Select and customize a scenario-based activity suitable for their purposes.
• Appreciate the value of using scenario-based activities to foster an inclusive and collaborative learning environment.
• Better appreciate their role as a facilitator in the classroom.

Almost 25 years since its inception, Wikipedia remains a timely and relevant part of the “open movement.” In 2010, The Wikipedia Student Program came onto the scene, bringing together Wikipedia’s drive for open access and open knowledge with the emerging world of open pedagogy. A simple yet powerful concept: Students at postsecondary institutions contribute to Wikipedia as a course assignment. Guided by their professors, they update critical information on Wikipedia by opening up knowledge typically behind paywalls. In this panel, you’ll hear from three faculty (in the fields of Geography, Computer Information Systems, and Composition) who are running Wikipedia-based assignments in their courses. We’ll explore how Wiki Education is supporting thousands of students each term in this open pedagogical practice. We’ll cover the critical role students can play in opening up knowledge and what they learn from engaging in this essential work.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

• Recognize the pedagogical value of running a Wikipedia assignment.
• Summarize how to implement a Wikipedia assignment into a course.
• Assess the role Wikipedia can play in open pedagogy.
• Identify the role students can play in filling in critical knowledge equity gaps.
• Appraise how the Wikipedia assignment can foster digital literacy and digital citizenship.