Loading…
All sessions are available online except round tables, special activities, and workshops.
Company: Online clear filter
Wednesday, October 7
 

12:25pm EDT

Sweden Continues the Business: Reuse and International Collaboration for a New National Platform for OER
Wednesday October 7, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
6 DR4
ID: 33866

Open Educational Resources (OER) have long been promoted as a key mechanism for widening access to knowledge and strengthening education as a public good. Yet, in many national contexts, OER adoption has remained fragmented, dependent on local initiatives, individual champions, or short-term projects. In Sweden, this situation is now undergoing a significant transformation: OER are increasingly recognized as a shared national responsibility—“everybody’s business”—supported by emerging infrastructure, policy alignment, and cross-institutional collaboration (Pareigis, 2024).This session presents the development of Sweden’s new national platform for OER discovery and reuse, marking a shift from isolated institutional efforts toward a coordinated ecosystem. Central to this initiative is the implementation of a national aggregation service built on OERSI (Open Educational Resources Search Index), an open-source infrastructure designed to federate metadata across repositories and enable scalable, interoperable OER discovery (Klinger et al., 2023). By building on OERSI, Sweden aligns its national approach with international standards and practices, while leveraging an existing, community-driven technological framework—an approach previously explored in earlier OEGlobal sessions on federated OER infrastructures.The session will outline the strategic, technical, and organizational dimensions of establishing this national platform. It will address key questions such as: How can national infrastructures support local OER practices without centralizing control? How can serendipity (Busch, 2024) be fostered and which role did it play in the implementation of the platform? How can interoperability and metadata quality be achieved across diverse institutional repositories? Participants will gain insight into how Sweden’s higher education sector has mobilized around shared goals, including policy developments, national coordination mechanisms, and collaborative workflows for metadata aggregation and quality assurance.Positioned within the broader theme of OEGlobal 2026—“innovating open practices to uphold knowledge as a public good” —this session highlights how national infrastructures can serve as catalysts for systemic change. It demonstrates how open technologies like OERSI can enable not only technical interoperability but also cultural shifts toward openness, shared ownership, and long-term sustainability of OER.Key takeaways for participants include: (1) a practical understanding of how to design and implement a national OER platform using federated, open-source technologies; (2) lessons learned from cross-institutional collaboration and governance in a national context; and (3) insights into how aligning policy, infrastructure, and community engagement can accelerate OER adoption at scale. The session will be relevant for policymakers, library and IT leaders, open education practitioners, and researchers seeking to move from project-based OER initiatives to sustainable, system-level integration.By sharing Sweden’s experience, this session contributes to the global conversation on how to build resilient OER ecosystems—demonstrating that when supported by shared infrastructure and collective commitment, OER can truly become a public good.
Speakers
avatar for Jörg Pareigis

Jörg Pareigis

Director of Library, Karlstad University, Sweden
Director of Library including the Centre for Teaching and Learning at Karlstad University, Sweden. Open education advocate and co-organizer of Open Networked Learning www.opennetworkedlearning.se.
avatar for Axel Klinger

Axel Klinger

Chief Technology Officer, Technische Informationsbibliothek (TIB)
Axel Klinger is Chief Technology Officer at Technische Informationsbibliothek (TIB) where he leads the development of innovative software products and service offerings and develops and implements technology strategies for TIB digital services with focus on Open Science, Open Education... Read More →
Wednesday October 7, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

12:25pm EDT

Un-Grading Open: What Happens When Students Own the Outcome
Wednesday October 7, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
5 DR3
ID: 33553

What happens when students are no longer working toward a grade, but toward creating something meaningful, public, and lasting? This session explores the transformative potential of “ungrading” within open education, where students are invited to create, adapt, and contribute to Open Educational Resources (OER) without the constraints of traditional grading systems.Drawing on my experience supervising student-led OER projects in an Open Education Lab, this session examines what shifts when students are given ownership over both the learning process and the final product. Ungrading challenges conventional assumptions about motivation, accountability, and quality. While grades often serve as external motivators, removing them can create space for intrinsic motivation, creativity, and deeper engagement. But, it also introduces uncertainty for both students and instructors.Through real examples, I will share what this approach looks like in practice: projects that thrived under ungrading, as well as those that struggled. These experiences surface how students navigate autonomy, how collaboration evolves without competitive grading structures, and how instructors can support quality and rigor without relying on numeric evaluation. The session will highlight both the possibilities and the complexities of this approach, offering an honest reflection on what worked, what didn’t, and why.Participants will be invited to reflect on their own experiences with assessment and consider how autonomy influences engagement and learning. A short interactive activity will encourage attendees to think about how ungrading principles could be applied in their own teaching or institutional contexts, whether through small-scale experimentation or broader redesign.This session will also provide practical strategies for implementing ungrading in open education contexts. Key takeaways include how to design structured flexibility through milestones and feedback loops, how to support students in navigating ambiguity, and how to balance freedom with accountability. Attendees will also explore how OER creation can shift the focus from disposable assignments to authentic, impactful work that extends beyond the classroom.By centering student ownership and redefining success beyond grades, ungrading invites educators to rethink the purpose of assessment in open education. This approach not only supports creativity and curiosity but also positions students as active contributors to knowledge, rather than passive recipients.Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the pedagogical implications of ungrading, as well as actionable ideas for integrating student-driven, open practices into their own work.
Speakers
avatar for Pranjal Saloni

Pranjal Saloni

Open Education Lab Supervisor, Ontario Tech University
I manage the Open Education Lab at Ontario Tech University, where I oversee student-driven projects that advance open educational practices and the creation of open resources. With a Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering and Management, I bring an interdisciplinary perspective... Read More →
Wednesday October 7, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

2:15pm EDT

Who Owns Learning? Sovereignty, Solidarity, and Open Education Across Divided Worlds
Wednesday October 7, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
5 DR3
ID: 33604

In a time shaped by geopolitical conflict, displacement, and widening inequalities in access to education, some basic questions feel newly urgent: Who owns learning? Who gets to participate in it?Who gets to shape it?Who gets to carry it across borders? This session takes up these questions through open education, transnational didactics, and trauma-informed teaching, drawing on a 13-week open, blended course developed at the University of Stuttgart.The course brings together student teachers from Germany, Ukraine, Lebanon, and more than ten other countries into a shared online learning space that deliberately foregrounds human connection, creativity, and curiosity. Working in transnational teams, participants design project-based learning (PBL) experiences. 17 projects including toolkits, lesson plans, videos and websites were developed.The session involved chat prompts, polls and pointed reflection questions for participants to actively engage with during the 30 minutes.  Conference attendees will learn how the course moves beyond delivering content to become a space where open, educational sovereignty can be practiced—where learners and educators co-create meaningful, context-sensitive learning across cultural and political boundaries.This course is situated within global conversations, including UNESCO’s vision of inclusive and equitable education and the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) focus on access and innovation in digital learning. At the same time, it does not avoid the realities many participants are living through. War, instability, and uncertainty are present in the space. For that reason, the course draws on trauma-informed principles, intentionally creating conditions of psychological safety, flexibility, and trust—conditions that make open, genuine collaboration possible.A central idea guiding the course is anti-fragility. Rather than simply trying to withstand disruption, the design invites uncertainty and diversity to become sources of learning. Students take on the role of designers, negotiating perspectives, constraints, and opportunities as they work. In doing so, curiosity and creativity are not added extras—they emerge naturally through the process, removing barriers, alongside growing intercultural awareness and resilience.In this session, participants will see how open, transnational learning spaces can function as sites of both solidarity and agency. The session will share concrete design strategies for structuring international collaboration, integrating trauma-informed approaches, and connecting practice to global frameworks. Examples from student projects will show how shared challenges can lead to inventive, locally meaningful solutions.
Speakers
avatar for Richard Powers

Richard Powers

Professor, University of Stuttgart, Department of Education
Richard J. Powers is a professor, instructional designer, and international educator at the University of Stuttgart and City Colleges of Chicago. His work focuses on open education, international collaboration, and project-based learning in global, online environments, alongside Universal... Read More →
Wednesday October 7, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

3:00pm EDT

Slowing Down to Lead: Design Lessons from the Rebus Luminary Fellowship
Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
6 DR4
ID: 33914

Postsecondary leaders are exhausted. They are navigating defunded institutions, a shifting political landscape, rapid AI expansion, and the quiet accumulation of uncompensated labor that education has always asked of its practitioners. The Rebus Luminary Fellowship for Education Leaders was our response to that reality.This presentation shares our experience co-designing and facilitating the Luminary Fellowship – a three-month program for fifteen postsecondary leaders across Canada and the United States, developed in partnership with the Leadership Learning Community (LLC), a nonprofit with deep roots in liberatory leadership practice. We'll speak honestly about what it meant to build a space where connection, creativity, and curiosity weren't just aspirations on a slide but conditions we had to actively create.There is a meaningful difference between valuing something and designing for it. We valued slowness, so we built long check-ins and resisted the urge to pack every session with content. We valued trust, so we thought carefully about what a participant should receive before ever showing up to a session, like a welcome care package in the mail. We valued an honest community, so we gave sessions enough breathing room for discomfort to surface and built in 1:1 check-ins between sessions to tend to what the group couldn't. The Liberatory Leadership Framework, developed by LLC, became our recurring lens: a shared vocabulary that participants could carry across sessions and bring back to their own institutions.This presentation will walk through the program's arc – three virtual sessions and a culminating in-person summit in Vancouver – with particular attention to the design choices behind each phase and how we adapted in real time. We'll reflect on the genuine collaboration between Rebus and LLC: what it looked like to co-design across organizations, how we distributed facilitation, and what we learned when things didn't go as planned. We'll also share what we heard from participants themselves – that the strategies mattered, but what stayed with them was simpler and harder to name: the feeling of not being alone in this work.Our hope is that this session sparks an honest conversation about what it actually takes to make space for human connection in open education programming – the choices behind the design, what we learned along the way, and what we'd do differently. For anyone building fellowships, communities of practice, or professional development experiences, we think the Luminary Fellowship offers a useful, honest case study in what intentional community building can look like.
Speakers
avatar for Apurva Ashok

Apurva Ashok

Executive Director, The Rebus Foundation
Apurva Ashok is the Executive Director of The Rebus Foundation, a global non-profit and Canadian charity advancing liberatory futures through education. Apurva is an accomplished leader in Open Education, and is recognized for her ability to inspire systemic change and build institutional... Read More →
Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

3:35pm EDT

GO-GN Canada Hub - Rediscovering the Land as Open Educators
Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
7 DR5
ID: 34731

In the summer of 2025, the GO-GN Canada Hub was formed as an extension of the global GO-GN network based in the Open University, United Kingdom. Because community building and in-person convenings are so important to the GO-GN network of PhD students and GO-GN alumni, the GO-GN Canada Hub spent a 2-day Indigenous land-based learning experience at the Cultural Use Area in Jasper National Park, guided by Darrion Letendre and Ni’tokisiks (Blackfoot elder) Lance Scout. This land-based learning extended and deepened conversations about the compatibility/incompatibility of open education and Indigenous knowledge that began through Darrion’s keynote address at the Open Education Global 2023 keynote in Edmonton (i.e., OEGlobal23 Keynote: Embracing 2-Eyed Seeing to Revitalize Sustainable Relations). During the grant period and beyond, regular online meetings support GO-GN student updates, progress on meeting the Hub’s deliverables, and other educational activities including a community of practice book study of Wahi Wah Indigenous Pedagogies: An Act of Reconciliation and Anti-racist Education (Chrona, 2022). The members of the Canada Hub co-authored a multi-modal collection of their land-based learning. In these reflections, the tensions and intersections of the history of colonization are revealed alongside open education, research perspectives, and Indigenous ways of knowing(Canadian Commission for UNESCO, 2021). The pressbook (released Spring 2026) will be part of the panel presentation. Several blog posts and growing the GO-GN awareness and membership were also key deliverables from the Hub. The community of practice online meetings continues with the taking up of open access articles, reports, and practitioner concerns. The GO-GN Canada Hub supports and expands GO-GN’s strategic direction to “inspire alternative ways of being and understanding the world” (Farrow et al., 2024, p. 42). As a collaborative community, the Canada Hub is part of the maturation of open education and the challenges that individuals and the community face as this hub continues to be an imperfect act of conciliation and reconciliation for its Canadian members. The online panel discussion will highlight the Hub’s activities and its ongoing efforts of walking alongside, learning from and with our Indigenous and more than human relatives.
Speakers
avatar for Connie Blomgren

Connie Blomgren

Professor, Athabasca University
Dr. Constance Blomgren is a Professor in the Open, Digital and Distance Education Master of Education programs at Athabasca University and the Masters of Education Program Director. She teaches and researches about openness in education. She is an associate editor for the International... Read More →
DL

Darrion Letendre

InSTEM and Land Based Learning Specialist, Norquest College
Darrion is a dedicated and passionate Nehiyaw-Métis educator with over 10 years of experience of land-based learning for Indigenous youth. He is an advocate for Indigenous education and revitalizing cultural knowledge through Western education systems. He has been a member of the... Read More →
AA

Agnieszka (Aga) Palalas

Professor, Athabasca University
Dr. Palals is a Professor in Open, Digital, and Distance Education, and Program Director in the Doctor of Distance Education Program at Athabasca University. She is an experienced practitioner and researcher of technology-assisted learning and teaching with a focus on innovative pedagogy... Read More →
Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
7 DR5 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Panel

3:35pm EDT

Open Knowledge Content Curation: From Scientific Information Watch to Self and Active Learning
Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
5 DR3
ID: 33736

In the context of infobesity, managing knowledge and mastering scientific and societal information actuality is more and more a challenge for teachers, researchers and students. Content curation tools developped some years ago, help finding, selecting, commenting, elevating and sharing relevant open web information from diverse sources. One of those tools called Scoop.it appears well suited for so-called serious information and has been used by ourselves, other scientists and teachers individually or in groups of interest. Teachers can indeed build content hubs on their discipline, for instance geography, history or biology. Researchers in basic, medical and also social sciences can establish their personal databases, document their research topics and share specific contents according to their competencies. Learners and curious laypeople can benefit from knowledge selected and accumulated and from information follow-up by recognized specialists We are reporting on our experience of using Content Curation for Research, Teaching and Learning in basic, medical and health immunology for more than 10 years. We are agregating scientific information such as selected published papers but also grey literature, press releases and web posting on blogs and websites. Societally relevant information from social netwotks can also be collected and archived. Commenting and elevating information individually and/or through analysis of subtopics is adding value to such material. Sharing on social networks is an opportunity, while archiving and retrieving later is an asset. Two projects were posted on Open Education Resources Surfing the Wave of Immunology Knowledge and more (SWIK+). becoming later Self and Active Learning in Immunology and more (SALIM+), after applying and evaluating the tool in real learning context. Content Hubs aggregating curated OPEN medical immunology resources, from systemic and mucosal immunity to clinical and applied immunology (allergy, rheumatology, neurology, biotherapies) and societal health concerns (vaccine hesitancy) actualized regularly, are offering students, teachers and researchers selected relevant information, helping them stay abreast of information wave. We used it for distance learning during Covid pandemy with chinese students and developped innovative self and active learning with french and chinese medical students for initiation in clinical research in a master module. Learners can use the selected material offered by their teachers or other researchers. Themselves are asked to select, collect, read and comment medical and scientific information related to a chosen topic of interest. They discover not only scientific published literature, but also web material posted by press or media available to laypeople, as well as discussions on social networks. Such self and active learning different from top down courses they receive in medical training is much appreciated, making them curious and even coined by students as fun. Content curation, compared to artificial intelligence, adds human flair to search practices and stimulates users to develop interest and taste for information watch, mandatory for research activities during training and for life long learning in their profession. Other advantages of content curation tool are sharing which remains a challenge, allowing to retrieve information later, also offering networking opportunities but hindrance reported is time consuming like any information watch.
Speakers
avatar for Gilbert Faure

Gilbert Faure

Professeur, Université Lorraine, CREM
Professor Emeritus in Immunology at Université Lorraine, Faculté de Médecine,  I have been pursuing teaching activities in the context of the Sino-French Training programs between Nancy, Wuhan and Kunming for more than 20 years, after a career in Medical Immunology. I had responsibilities... Read More →
Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

5:30pm EDT

Beyond the PDF: Finding and Remixing Living OER with the Pressbooks Directory
Wednesday October 7, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
5 DR3
ID: 31580

Educators around the world are hungry for open educational resources, but too often what they find are static PDFs locked behind clunky repositories, difficult to discover and even harder to adapt. The Pressbooks Directory represents a fundamentally different kind of OER repository: a free, open, and searchable collection of over 8,500 open access books, built not just to be read, but to be remixed, localized, and made your own.This hands-on session will introduce participants to the Pressbooks Directory as a discovery and adaptation platform that goes well beyond traditional static repositories to offer rich, interactive, and genuinely reusable content. Unlike PDF-based repositories that can feel like a dead end once downloaded, the Pressbooks Directory surfaces books that are alive: structured into chapters, embedded with H5P interactive activities, and filterable by license, subject area, interactivity level, and contributing institution. Whether you're an instructor building a course in sociology, a librarian curating resources for an allied health program, or an instructional designer looking to scaffold learning in a second language context, the Directory gives you the tools to find what you need. Critically for a global audience, the Directory empowers localization. Participants will see examples of how educators have adapted content for specific national contexts, and other instances of tailoring resources to their learners. This session directly addresses one of the most persistent barriers in open education: discoverability and reusability. Where many national and institutional repositories remain siloed, metadata-poor, and technically inaccessible to non-specialists, the Pressbooks Directory offers a community-powered alternative spanning hundreds of institutions worldwide. And with new texts being added every day, the collection grows continuously — a living ecosystem rather than a static archive.Participants will leave this session knowing how to search and filter the Directory to find high-quality, openly licensed content; how to evaluate books for adaptability based on license type, interactivity, and structure; and how to begin remixing that content immediately using Pressbooks' built-in tools. Pressbooks’ built in cloning tool makes it incredibly easy for educators to adapt content to fit their needs.In a landscape where digital infrastructure remains fragmented and individual educators often carry the weight of OER adoption with limited institutional support, the Directory lowers the barrier to meaningful adaptation — not just downloading, but genuinely remixing content to fit local languages, curricula, and contexts.No prior experience with Pressbooks is required. Whether you are brand new to OER or a seasoned open practitioner looking to discover a powerful new repository, this session offers practical, immediately applicable skills for finding and building with open content at scale.
Speakers
avatar for John McLeod

John McLeod

Sales Team Lead, Pressbooks
John McLeod, Sales Team Lead, brings over four decades of experience in higher education. From his early days supporting students at the University of Alberta Bookstore to his current role guiding institutions through the evaluation and adoption of Pressbooks, John plays a vital role... Read More →
Wednesday October 7, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation
 
Thursday, October 8
 

11:05am EDT

Identify, Connect, and Refresh: A Practical Framework for Multi-Institutional Collaboration to Democratize Educational Resources
Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
5 DR3
ID: 32112

This abstract documents the author and his team’s application of a three-step framework to facilitate collaboration among the six technical institutes of higher education in Singapore. These national institutes are namely Singapore Polytechnic (SP, the author’s affiliation), Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, and Institute of Technical Education. The collaboration enabled the democratization of shared educational resources on their jointly-developed one-stop online portal known as POLITEMall, by applying the practical framework of identify, connect, and refresh. The first step of the framework is to strategically identify which institute is to be in charge of creating and maintaining which subject modules (also known as courses in the United States) on POLITEMall. For instance, SP is renowned for engineering among the six institutes and is hence responsible for the online modules related to built environment, engineering, and maritime. This strategy maximizes the academic quality and rigor of the online modules on POLITEMall, as the most qualified lecturers will be responsible for the modules in their relevant fields. The massive workload to create and maintain all the 297 diverse online modules is also equitably shared among the respective institutes in charge. Subsequently, the second step of the framework is to intentionally connect learners to the online modules that are directly relevant to them. For instance, students in the mechanical engineering diploma courses (also known as programs in the United States) will be pre-enrolled in online modules such as Mechanics and Thermofluids (the author’s module in SP). This strategy ensures learners are intentionally aligned to their educational needs and interests, hence also enhancing knowledge retention of the online modules. Nonetheless, all of the approximately 120,000 full-time and part-time students and staff across the six institutes can virtually self-enroll for free to access any of the 297 diverse online modules on POLITEMall. Lastly, the third step of the framework is to periodically refresh the online modules for sustained quality, relevance, and currency of the shared educational resources on POLITEMall. For instance, at the end of every semester after student feedback surveys, lecturers will bridge any content gaps within their online modules during the breaks. Moreover, subject-matter expert lecturers from the six institutes have mutually agreed to convene every two to three years to review the POLITEMall online modules, ensuring their content remains relevant and current. Today’s world is increasingly fragmented and more nations are working in silos. The future of our global and local educational landscapes should instead be based on open knowledge, communication, and collaboration. By applying this practical three-step framework of identify, connect, and refresh, institutes can move beyond initial silos and toward a more sustainable future of shared educational resources and democratized knowledge on a national level.
Speakers
avatar for Ying-Wei Leong

Ying-Wei Leong

Senior Lecturer (Distinguished Educator) and Teaching & Learning Mentor, Singapore Polytechnic
Mr. Ying-Wei Leong is currently a Senior Lecturer (Distinguished Educator) and Teaching & Learning Mentor in the School of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering, Singapore Polytechnic. He teaches engineering core modules and also supervises final year projects, including an industry... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

11:05am EDT

Innovating Practices Around Open Education Through BarCamps and Unconferences. Learnings from 14 Years of OERcamps
Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
8 DR6
ID: 33851

Open education is widely understood in terms of access and sharing: making resources available, reusable, and visible across contexts.These practices have been central to the development of the field and remain essential for broadening participation in education. At the same time, less explicit attention is often given to how knowledge is collaboratively constructed in participatory settings and to the intentional design of such processes.This presentation explores collaborative knowledge construction as a complementary dimension of openness, using OERcamps as long-standing, practice-based examples.For 14 years now, OERcamps have brought together educators, practitioners, and community members in formats that intentionally balance minimal (but strong) structure with high levels of participant agency.Instead of relying on predefined agendas, participants collectively identify topics, propose sessions, and iteratively shape discussions throughout each event.Across multiple iterations, recurring patterns can be observed: participants move fluidly between roles as learners, contributors, and facilitators; knowledge is not simply shared, but continuously refined through dialogue; and responsibility for outcomes is distributed across the community.These dynamics create environments in which knowledge is treated as evolving and situated, rather than fixed and final, and in which learning emerges through interaction rather than transmission.By examining these patterns, the presentation situates OERcamps within broader conversations about participation, collaboration, and community-building in open education.It argues that participatory formats can extend existing open practices by complementing access and sharing with processes that enable ongoing knowledge construction and collective sense-making.In this way, OERcamps can be understood as examples of how open education can move beyond resource-centered approaches without replacing them, and how communities can take an active role in shaping knowledge practices.Rather than positioning this approach as an alternative to established practices, the session offers a differentiated perspective: openness can be understood as a spectrum that includes access, sharing, and participatory knowledge practices.Recognizing this spectrum allows for more intentional design of open education initiatives that respond to diverse goals, contexts, and institutional settings.Participants will be introduced to concrete design principles derived from the OERcamp experience, including strategies for enabling participant-driven agendas, supporting fluid role transitions, and fostering shared ownership of learning processes.The session will also address practical considerations for adapting such approaches to different institutional and cultural environments, including constraints related to time, resources, facilitation, and organizational structures.By connecting long-term practice with broader conceptual reflection, this presentation contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how open education can evolve—both by expanding access to resources and by creating spaces where knowledge is collaboratively constructed and continuously developed.
Speakers
avatar for Jöran Muuß-Merholz

Jöran Muuß-Merholz

Founder of Agentur J&K, Team OERcamp at Agentur J&K
Jöran Muuß-Merholz, expert on open and progressive learning and working.In 2009 Jöran started his agency “J&K - Jöran und Konsorten” (“Jöran and fellows”) to strengthen the connections between the educational and the digital world. Jöran is consulting educational organizations... Read More →
avatar for Nicole Hagen

Nicole Hagen

Co Editorial Director, Team OERcamp at Agentur J&K
Dr. Nicole Hagen is a member of the OERcamp team for the J&K agency in Hamburg, Germany. Her key responsibilities include researching content, preparing editorials and publishing on subjects related to openness and education. In addition to her primary interests, Nicole has a keen... Read More →
avatar for Frank Homp

Frank Homp

Co Editorial Director, Team OERcamp at Agentur J&K
Frank is a second-generation NOERd — he joined the game when it was already in full swing. On the one hand, he regrets that a bit, since he’s only now getting to know so many great people and past projects. On the other hand, he feels that this sometimes allows him to look at... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
8 DR6 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

11:05am EDT

TESSFEG: An Open Source Gamified Simulations System for Democratizing Technical Knowledge for Global Learners
Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
6 DR4
ID: 32456

The rapid advancement of frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing indirectly threatens to widen the global knowledge gap. While these fields define the future of industry, high quality engineering education even in open access remains largely gatekept by high-bandwidth requirements or complex proprietary software. This session introduces TESSFEG - an open source, mission-driven digital platform designed to reinvent how young learners engage with the emerging technological fields. By transforming abstract STEM concepts into tactile, interactive and engaging engineering challenges, TESSFEG serves as a functional prototype for fulfilling crucial goals such as the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education). TESSFEG utilises a rigorous yet user friendly 2D simulation environment bult to ensure high-performance learning that remains accessible even on low bandwidth network and low spec-hardware. The platform replaces shallow metaphors with real mathematical and physical laws, such as Ohm's law and strict Boolean logic. Learners engage in an authentic engineering design loop : moving from passive learning to active investigation and iterative testing under realistic simulated environments.Moreover, TESSFEG demonstrates a strong connection to real-world engineering challenges as the mission modules will directly mirro contemporary global research initiatives such as processing telemetry data from deep space probes or designing systems for ecological conservation and sustainable development. This approach shifts motivation from simple progression to understanding how technology impacts the world. To ensure global inclusivity, TESSFEG employs universal design principles and adaptive learning interactions. The interface minimizes text in favor of standard scientific symbols and interactive tutorials, facilitating participation across linguistic barriers. Designed as a lightweight 2D browser tool, it is optimized for environments with fluctuating internet connections, making it a scalable resource for remote connectivity. As an open source tool, TESSFEG is a collaborative invitation to the open education community. Finally, TESSFEG demonstrates that while at present, we cannot solve global educational inequality effortlessly, we can invent tools that make the vision of open knowledge a reality.
Speakers
avatar for Pariton Langpoklakpam

Pariton Langpoklakpam

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
Pariton Langpoklakpam is a citizen scientist and educator currently pursuing M.Sc Physics at IGNOU. With a foundational degree in Physics Honours from Manipur University, his work focuses on the intersection of frontier technology and open education. Pariton is the lead architect... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

12:25pm EDT

From AI Disclosure to Human Declaration: Centring Human Authorship in OER Creation
Thursday October 8, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
5 DR3
ID: 32892

As AI tools become increasingly common in the creation of Open Educational Resources, the open education community faces a pressing question: how do we talk honestly about AI use in a way that is transparent, nuanced, and fair to the humans doing the work?Rather than debating whether AI should be used in OER creation, this session starts from a different premise: that authors are already using these tools, and that the more productive question is how to support transparent, human-centred disclosure of that use. Most approaches to AI disclosure focus narrowly on what the AI produced — treating it as a binary of used or not used. The KPU AI Declaration Framework for OER Creation takes a different approach, asking not "what did AI do?" but "what was the relationship between the author and AI?" — recognising that human involvement, judgment, and creative direction are essential to the process.The framework is an adaptation of the Artificial Intelligence Disclosure (AID) Framework developed by Kari D. Weaver at the University of Waterloo, reworked for the specific context of OER creation. Where the original framework was oriented toward research processes, the KPU adaptation identifies ten categories of activity relevant to OER development — from conceptualisation and instructional design to media creation and accessibility features — giving authors a structured way to describe their AI use throughout a publishing project. To capture the nuance of the human-AI relationship at each stage, the framework incorporates the Me & My Machine (MMM) labels developed by Fontys University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands — with adaptations to better suit a Canadian and North American context. The five labels (Craftsperson, Handyperson, Cyborg, Curator, and Generator) describe a spectrum from fully independent human creation to AI-generated content, without judgment. Even where AI generates most of the content, human effort is present in the crafting of prompts, the shaping of outputs, and the decisions made throughout — and the incorporation of the label system into the AI declaration framework makes that contribution visible. To support authors in applying the framework, the presenters developed a self-assessment rubric that guides them in selecting the appropriate label for each category — moving beyond definitions to practical descriptions of what each level of human-AI collaboration looks like. An interactive version of the rubric is also available to guide authors through the process of building their own declaration statement. A Pressbooks front matter template brings everything together into a format authors can import directly into their OER projects. The framework has been well received at KPU, with authors appreciating the structure and guidance it provides. Interest has extended beyond OER creation to staff evaluating their AI use across a range of resource types. While developed in an OER context, the framework is applicable to any resource creation project — a deliberate design choice that reflects that the questions it addresses are not unique to open education. This session walks participants through the categories, labels, rubric, and template, and discusses how human-centred AI disclosure might be implemented in other contexts. 
Speakers
avatar for Amanda Grey

Amanda Grey

Open Education Strategist, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Amanda Grey, MLIS, is the Open Education Strategist at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) in British Columbia, Canada. Over the past several years, she has worked across the full spectrum of open education practice, supporting educators in textbook affordability, OER adoption and... Read More →
KM

Karen Meijer

Scholarly Communications & Copyright Librarian, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Karen Meijer, MLIS, MA, is the Scholarly Communications and Copyright Librarian at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) in British Columbia, Canada. She has worked in publishing since 2003 and has been active in the field of Open Education in its many forms since 2015. Throughout... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

12:25pm EDT

Teachers as Changemakers: Adopting OER for Environmental and Sustainability Education in Middle School
Thursday October 8, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
8 DR6
ID: 32351

This session presents findings from recent research focused on the availability and efficacy of Open Educational Resources (OER) for environmental and sustainability education, specifically tailored for learners in Grades 5 through 7. In a time of escalating environmental challenges, ranging from climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource conservation, education is essential in promoting change.  The middle years are a critical time for this education; children are forming their values, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility. When environmental education reaches this age group, it can shape not only what they understand, but what they do about it and who they become. This is captured in a saying by Baba Dioum, “In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will only understand what we are taught.”However, there are barriers to teaching this. Although several countries, including Canada, have committed to integrating environmental and climate education, progress has been slow, teachers lack access to resources and don’t have the time or expertise to create their own, and teachers are intimidated by topics like climate change which are highly controversial and political. Teachers want to empower their students, but they need the right tools.OER offer an opportunity to provide equitable, scalable, and adaptable materials. These digital resources allow educators to customize content to reflect local environmental contexts and specific learner needs. Furthermore, OER for environmental education align with UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and Goal 13 (Climate Action).Despite their potential, the extent to which existing OER meet the needs of kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) educators is not well understood. This study identifies existing resources that align with Grade 5 to 7 curriculum standards, as well as gaps and areas for improvement to ensure OER can be effectively integrated into K-12 curriculum. The research also provides a systematic process for analyzing OER that can be applied to other K-12 subjects and educational standards, including the use of AI technologies to analyze resources.The outcome of this study is a curated collection of resources within the OER Commons Climate Hub which teachers can integrate immediately into their curriculum. This supports educators in accessing high-quality materials that promote environmental awareness and sustainable practices among youth. Ultimately, these findings are intended for educators, policymakers, GLAM institutions (galleries, libraries, archives, museums), and environmental organizations to encourage OER use for environmental education and to contribute to the broader discussion on OER adoption in K-12.  This research contributes to the development of environmentally conscious and empowered citizens and supports UNESCOs Sustainable Development Goals, including promoting ongoing dialogue on the role of OER in K-12 and the importance of environmental education across all subjects
Speakers
avatar for Emily Grady

Emily Grady

Master's student, Athabasca University
Emily Grady is in her final year of Athabasca University's Master of Education in Open, Digital and Distance Education, specializing in instructional design. As an avid outdoorsperson, a parent, and an environmental advocate, her personal, academic and professional interests center... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
8 DR6 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

2:15pm EDT

Building Bridges Between Higher Education and K-12 Through Open Lifelong Learning
Thursday October 8, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
5 DR3
ID: 30484

This session presents a transformative multi-sectoral partnership model between Erciyes University and the Murat Kantarcı Science and Art Center (BİLSEM), a collaboration recently distinguished in the European-wide SAMUELE Compendium: “University Lifelong Learning Applied Cases that Inspire.” As one of the premier cases selected from 17 European countries, this initiative serves as a strategic roadmap for integrating University Lifelong Learning (ULLL) into institutional governance, research, and societal impact through open and inclusive ecosystems.The core of this session addresses a persistent challenge in global education: the structural and pedagogical "space between" academic research in higher education and its practical enactment in K-12 classrooms. Led by Prof. Dr. Fatma Bozkurt and Çelebi Kalkan, this partnership redefines lifelong learning not merely as an isolated continuing education activity, but as a holistic, integrated domain for institutional transformation. We demonstrate how Erciyes University’s strategic vision for sustainability and social responsibility is actualized through a formal partnership with BİLSEM, a specialized institution for gifted and talented students.The session will explore three primary dimensions of "Connecting the Dots":Institutional Synergy and Governance: We will detail how the governance structures of a major university can be aligned with K-12 centers to create a seamless, open learning pathway. This includes the integration of lifelong learning into the university’s broader mission of "social contribution."Pedagogical Innovation (The Think-Feel-Act Model): Participants will be introduced to the UNESCO-recognized "Think-Feel-Act" pedagogical framework. We will showcase how this model is utilized to train prospective teachers, allowing them to engage in real-world sustainability workshops and "green entrepreneurship" activities as part of their lifelong learning journey.European Alignment and Scaling: Drawing from the SAMUELE Compendium findings, we will discuss how this case contributes to the "European Higher Education Area" by fostering resilience, inclusivity, and responsiveness to societal crises like climate change.Key Takeaways for Attendees: Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to build and sustain "Open Learning Ecosystems" that leverage cross-institutional resources. We will share specific strategies for bridging the gap between higher education faculty and K-12 practitioners, ensuring that open education resources and methodologies are not just developed, but effectively implemented and scaled. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with a proven framework for institutionalizing multi-sectoral partnerships that empower both educators and learners as active agents of change in their communities.This session is particularly relevant for policymakers, university administrators, and K-12 educators seeking to "reinvent our shared global vision" by breaking down institutional silos and fostering a truly open, lifelong learning culture.
Speakers
avatar for Fatma Bozkurt

Fatma Bozkurt

Professor Doctor, Erciyes University
Prof. Dr. Fatma Bozkurt, Erciyes Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Uygulamalı Matematik Bölümü'nde seçkin bir profesördür ve Almanya, BAE, Kuveyt ve Türkiye'de 18 yılı aşkın uluslararası öğretim ve araştırma deneyimine sahiptir. Akademik liderliği, özellikle Z kuşa... Read More →
avatar for Çelebi Kalkan

Çelebi Kalkan

Expert Teacher, Murat Kantarcı Science and Arts Center
Çelebi Kalkan, Türkiye'deki Murat Kantarcı Bilim ve Sanat Merkezi'nde (BİLSEM) STEM+A eğitimi, sürdürülebilir kalkınma ve iklim değişikliği pedagojisi alanlarında uzmanlaşmış bir öğretmendir. UNESCO Yeşil Eğitim Ortaklığı üyesi ve Scientix STEM Elçisi olarak... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

2:15pm EDT

Learning in the Wild: A Large-Scale Analysis of GenAI as a Dialogic Open Educational Resource
Thursday October 8, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
8 DR6
ID: 33533

The rapid adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has transformed how self-directed learners interact with knowledge. While GenAI tools like ChatGPT are used globally as de facto Open Educational Resources (OER), empirical evidence regarding authentic learning through these human-AI dialogues - outside of formal institutional settings - remains limited. This presentation shares the results of a large-scale, mixed-methods study that analyzes learning as it happens "in the wild."Grounded in the Dialogic OER Framework (Author, 2026), this research extends traditional OER models (like Wiley’s 5Rs) by introducing three process-oriented dimensions: Responsiveness, Reciprocity, and Reflexivity. We operationalize this framework through a computational and statistical analysis of 50,000 naturalistic conversations from the WildChat dataset - a corpus of over one million real-world ChatGPT interactions.Our methodology utilized keyword-based filtering and rule-based classification to identify 6,693 learning-oriented conversations (13.4% of the sample). These were then analyzed using natural language processing (NLP), lexical complexity metrics, and metacognitive marker detection.Key findings include:Distinct Discourse Patterns: Learning conversations exhibit significantly higher reciprocity compared to non-learning tasks, characterized by longer interaction chains (M=3.19 vs 2.41 turns) and a higher density of follow-up questions (d = 0.36, p < .001).Knowledge Co-Construction: Over 28% of learning interactions showed explicit markers of knowledge co-construction, such as critical evaluation of AI responses and iterative refinement of queries. This suggests that GenAI is not merely a static content source but a partner in emerging Open Educational Practices (OEP).The Evolution of Scaffolding: Within multi-turn learning episodes, we observed a significant increase in lexical diversity (Type-Token Ratio) alongside a decrease in verbosity (d = -0.23, p < .001). This indicates that as learners engage with the AI, their prompts become more precise and sophisticated - a sign of self-directed scaffolding and internalization.Global Equity and Access: Cross-cultural analysis revealed that regions with limited access to formal higher education, such as the Middle East and North Africa, showed the highest proportions of learning-oriented AI use (29.4%). This highlights GenAI's potential to serve as a truly open and accessible resource in underserved contexts.By presenting these findings, we aim to bridge the gap between "Openness as Content" and "Openness as Interaction." We will discuss the practical and ethical implications of these emergent technologies for the future of the open education movement, specifically how we can support learners in developing the "Reflexivity" needed to navigate AI-driven learning landscapes.
Speakers
avatar for Eyal Rabin

Eyal Rabin

Lecturer, Holon Institute of Technology
Dr. Eyal Rabin is a leading researcher in artificial intelligence and education at the Institute for Applied AI Research in Education, Israel’s Ministry of Education, and a lecturer at the Holon Institute of Technology (HIT). His work focuses on the integration of artificial... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
8 DR6 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

3:35pm EDT

Creating Community Through Curiosity: Student Authored Open Texts at the Queensland University of Technology
Thursday October 8, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
8 DR6
ID: 33465

In this session, we explore how library‑led open publishing can foster connection, creativity, and curiosity by transforming student research into openly shared, community‑building resources.Undergraduate and postgraduate research projects showcase independent inquiry, yet these outputs can all too often remain invisible, read only by supervisors or assessment panels before disappearing into institutional archives. By reimagining these works as contributions within open publications, we can strengthen student belonging within scholarly and professional communities while championing more collaborative publishing practices.Drawing on a series of recent publications made available through QUT Open Texts, we demonstrate how library expertise, open publishing workflows, and collaboration can elevate individual projects into collective assets with broader impact. Each initiative began through conversations with professional and academic staff who recognised the value of surfacing student work. In response, the QUT Open Texts team partnered with Liaison Librarians and academics to create publications that highlight student achievements and model open, supportive scholarly communication practices.Vacation Research Experience Scheme (VRES)In 2024, QUT’s Faculty of Science Liaison Librarians identified an opportunity to present undergraduate VRES projects using the university’s Pressbooks platform. By transforming student outputs into individual chapters within an open publication this, now ongoing, initiative helps students see themselves as contributors to the research community. It introduces students to more advanced concepts including intellectual property (IP), copyright and open licensing while supporting their journey as emerging researchers.From Campus to CollaborationFrom Campus to Collaboration captures the experiences of postgraduate students completing real‑world, partnered research in data science and artificial intelligence. The resulting open publication provides an exemplar for future students, supervisors, and partners while modelling how open publishing pathways can strengthen connections and shape more responsive postgraduate research opportunities.AusiSTAR: The NextGen PlaybookAcademics involved in the AusiSTAR program expressed a strong interest in highlighting student achievements and capturing the unique industry focused, collaborative learning experiences fostered through the Next Generation Graduates Program. By openly publishing student reflections and insights, the publication demonstrates networks across universities, industry, and the public, and shows how open dissemination can sustain communities of innovation and practice.Each of these projects required close partnership with the QUT Open Texts team to navigate the complexities of publishing student‑authored work. Working with different editorial teams meant the Open Text team had to develop flexible workflows, balancing varied timelines, and creating new processes to support student‑owned IP and open licensing. Collectively, these initiatives provide a template for transforming individual student projects into shared open resources with broad appeal. Through accessible platforms like Pressbooks, we can champion creativity and empower students to see their work, and themselves, as active contributors within a more open scholarly community.
Speakers
avatar for Sal Kleine

Sal Kleine

Scholarly Impact Librarian (Acting), Queensland University of Technology
Sal Kleine is a Scholarly Impact Librarian (acting) and Liaison Librarian at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Her work spans information literacy, scholarly communication, and open educational resources, with a particular focus on open scholarship through her management... Read More →
avatar for Michael Hawks

Michael Hawks

Faculty of Business and Law Liaison Librarian, Queensland University of Technology
Michael Hawks supports the Graduate School of Business, School of Management and the School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations in QUT’s Faculty of Business and Law. As an academic librarian, he has a keen interest in digital engagement and has contributed to innovative... Read More →
avatar for Gabrielle Hayes

Gabrielle Hayes

Faculty of Science Liaison Librarian, Queensland University of Technology
Gabrielle Hayes is a Liaison Librarian at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia. With a practical background in developing Open Educational Resources (OER), her work includes co-authoring Research Right and editing the QUT Faculty of Science VRES 2024... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
8 DR6 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

5:30pm EDT

Beyond Epistemicide: The Polymath Protocol for Decentralized Knowledge Creation in the Global South
Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
7 DR5
ID: 33364

The global open education movement has successfully removed financial paywalls for millions of learners. However, by focusing primarily on access to content rather than the origin of content, we have inadvertently created a system of "epistemicide" in the Global South. When a student in Nigeria or India is taught to see the world predominantly through the lens of Western-centric case studies, educational materials, and academic canons, education transitions from a process of liberation to one of cultural assimilation. This creates a global monoculture of thought that devalues localized problem-solving frameworks, indigenous knowledge systems, and regional languages.This session directly challenges the foundational premise of modern open education: that the mere distribution of Global North content is inherently an objective good. We will examine how hard metrics prove this disparity. With over 75% of research articles published in English and less than 5% of major open educational resources originating from authors based in the Global South, we are training the next generation of thinkers to solve the problems of the West rather than the urgent issues facing their own communities.The primary goal of this session is to pivot the conversation from OER 1.0 (access to existing materials) to OER 2.0 (local agency and decentralized authorship). To achieve this, I will introduce "The Polymath Protocol"—a theoretical, decentralized epistemic infrastructure designed to invert the current flow of global knowledge.We will explore how this protocol leverages non-proprietary, open-source networking to connect regional "Knowledge Hubs." Furthermore, we will dive into how emerging technologies, such as federated AI models, can be trained locally on indigenous data and regional dialects. This ensures that learners are not subject to the algorithmic bias and cultural homogenization inherent in monolithic, centralized tech giants.By moving away from a top-down, one-way funnel of expertise, the Polymath Protocol offers a viable architectural alternative that prioritizes cognitive diversity and true epistemic justice.Key Takeaways for Attendees:A Critical Framework: Attendees will learn to critically evaluate the "open-washing" of research and recognize the hidden cultural tax imposed on non-Western learners by the current academic hierarchy.Actionable Technical Alternatives: Participants will explore the mechanics of federated AI and decentralized storage as practical tools for preserving linguistic and intellectual diversity in digital education.Policy and Advocacy Strategies: Educators and policymakers will gain insights into the structural shifts required to fund local knowledge creators, move toward credit interoperability, and foster a truly democratic, multi-centered global knowledge ecosystem.This session is designed for educators, technologists, and advocates who believe that the future of human learning should not be a corporate monoculture, but a rich, resilient, and localized ecosystem of diverse ideas.
Speakers
avatar for Dhairya Chauhan

Dhairya Chauhan

Computational Physics Researcher & AICTE Ideation Lab Contributor, Earth School
Dhairya Chauhan is an emerging researcher and AICTE Ideation Lab Fellow whose work sits at the intersection of computational physics, mathematical modeling, and the future of equitable education. Shared by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) for his contributions... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
7 DR5 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

5:30pm EDT

Designing Open Support Ecosystems for First-Year Open and Distance Learners: Lessons from PASE SUAyED
Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
6 DR4
ID: 33916

This presentation explores the design of an open support ecosystem for first-year students in distance higher education through the case of PASE SUAyED, an initiative developed at UNAM to accompany students during their transition into open and distance learning. In many conversations about open education, access is often framed in terms of content availability. However, students' ability to enter, navigate, and remain in digital learning environments also depends on the availability of guidance, orientation, and affective support. From this perspective, openness can be understood not only as access to educational materials, but also as access to resources that help learners develop confidence, belonging, and strategies for participation. PASE SUAyED was conceived as a support initiative for first-year students in the university's open and distance education system. Its purpose is to offer practical, accessible, and student-centered resources that respond to the challenges of transition, self-management, digital participation, and persistence. An important dimension of the project is its potential evolution toward a more open portal of support resources that can be shared more broadly with learners beyond the immediate institutional setting. By sharing this case, the session invites participants to rethink openness through the lens of student support and to consider how institutions can build more humane and inclusive ecosystems for learners entering digital and distance modalities.
Speakers
avatar for Indira Ochoa

Indira Ochoa

Director of Digital Transformation Projects for Education at the Coordination of Open University and Digital Education (CUAED, UNAM), National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
Indira Ochoa Carrasco holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Educational Technologies from the Latin American Institute of Educational Communication and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. She is also certified in Flipped... Read More →
avatar for María José Barrera Olmedo

María José Barrera Olmedo

Head of the Research and Development Project Department (CUAED), National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
María José Barrera Olmedo holds a PhD in Psychology from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, a Master’s degree in Psychology and Education from the University of Cambridge, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with honors from UNAM. Her academic training has focused... Read More →
avatar for Anabel de la Rosa Gómez

Anabel de la Rosa Gómez

Coordinator of Open University and Digital Education (CUAED), National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
Dr. Anabel de la Rosa Gómez is the Coordinator of Open University and Digital Education (CUAED) at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from UNAM, where she also earned her undergraduate degree with honors. As a distinguished academic... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

5:30pm EDT

Inventing Together: Collaborative Product Strategy in the Open edX Ecosystem
Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
8 DR6
ID: 33996

As open education communities step into a critical role on the frontlines of disseminating knowledge as a public good, the challenge extends beyond creating open resources to designing sustainable, collaborative systems that ensure their relevance and impact. This session explores how the global Open edX community offers a compelling model for “inventing together” through a community-driven approach to product strategy and governance.Open edX is an open source teaching and learning platform used by millions of learners worldwide, with more than 2,000 active instances and a robust network of contributors spanning institutions, organizations, and countries. Stewarded by a nonprofit, the platform reflects the values of openness not only in content but also in its development and decision-making processes. What makes Open edX particularly distinctive is its investment in a formal product management organization—an uncommon feature in open source ecosystems. This model brings together nonprofit staff and community members to collaboratively shape the platform’s roadmap, aligning contributions with shared strategic priorities.This session will examine how the Open edX product management function operates as a bridge between vision and execution in a distributed, participatory environment. Attendees will learn about key practices such as gathering and synthesizing user input, reviewing and prioritizing product proposals, and ensuring that contributions align with long-term goals. Central to this approach is a commitment to learner impact: decisions are guided not only by technical feasibility or contributor interest, but by the potential to improve teaching and learning outcomes at scale.We will also explore the challenges inherent in building a product organization within an open source community. These include balancing openness with strategic coherence, navigating diverse stakeholder needs, and maintaining momentum across a decentralized contributor base. At the same time, this model presents significant opportunities: it fosters deeper community engagement, enables innovation across sectors, and creates a shared sense of ownership over the platform’s future.By connecting this work to the broader open education ecosystem—including organizations like OEGlobal and initiatives such as MIT Open Learning—the session highlights how open source infrastructure can strengthen global efforts to expand equitable access to knowledge. Participants will gain insight into how collaborative product strategy can serve as a mechanism for resilience and collective thriving, supporting the conference’s call to catalyze human connection, creativity, and curiosity.Ultimately, this session invites attendees to consider how similar approaches might be applied in their own contexts, and how open communities can work together to design systems that not only share knowledge, but actively sustain and evolve it for the benefit of all.
Speakers
avatar for Jenna Makowski

Jenna Makowski

Senior Product Manager, Open edX Platform, Open edX, Axim Collaborative
Jenna Makowski has led the product organization for the Open edX project since 2022.
Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
8 DR6 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

5:30pm EDT

Open as a Strategic Imperative for Sustaining Public Systems
Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
5 DR3
ID: 33427

When public institutions work together and pool resources to address common curriculum and educational technology needs, there are many benefits. These collaborative projects can leverage collective expertise, generate efficiencies, and distribute workload and costs. This session looks at the findings from a two-year initiative in British Columbia, Canada, that investigated models and mechanisms for enabling this kind of institutional collaboration. We will explore key things that foster and sustain collaborative ventures as well as the structural barriers, and make a case for investing in open approaches on a system level, including open communities, technologies, content, and infrastructure.
Speakers
avatar for Josie Gray

Josie Gray

Interim Director, Open Education, BCcampus
Josie Gray (she/her) is the Interim Director of Open Education at BCcampus, where she leads a team that develops and implements initiatives that advance open education practices in the B.C. post-secondary system. She is passionate about accessibility, open, and thinking critically... Read More →
Thursday October 8, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation
 
Friday, October 9
 

11:05am EDT

Scaling OER Adoption in the Arab Region: The OER SMART Model
Friday October 9, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
5 DR3
ID: 32534

The session will present the design, implementation, and impact of the “OER SMART” project that was supported by UNESCO and implemented by Al-Quds Open University from Palestine and Queen Rania Center from Jordan, aimed at promoting OER concepts, reuse, and practices in Palestine and Jordan, with potential for scaled-up impact across the Arab region.The project focused on improving the understanding, capabilities and institutional preparedness for OER implementation within contexts where access to quality has been uneven. The project emphasised a comprehensive needs assessment to identify the requirements of educators and policymakers as well as key stakeholders in higher education. A self-paced, multilingual online training course was designed covering OER concepts and open licensing, quality assurance, planning for pedagogical use, and development of OER policy.The project's integrated model is a key innovation that combines digital learning with capacity building through Training of Trainers (ToT). A training was conducted for forty participants from universities and ministries of education in Palestine, Jordan to act as OER ambassadors to create a multiplier effect and sustain the knowledge. Results from the evaluations revealed that there was an increase of above 20% in the knowledge and skills of the participants, suggesting that the use of structured digital content in conjunction with participatory training was effective. The session will demonstrate the various formats of the OER SMART course including mobile apps, learning objects, web-based and open multimedia resources.  These elements demonstrate how open education can be designed to be inclusive, interactive and tailored towards various education settings.The session will importantly reflect on the challenges of implementing OER in developing and fragile contexts, including policy gaps, language barriers and sustainability issues. The presentation will share practical strategies to overcome challenges related to building communities of practice; aligning OER with relevant national education strategies; and enhancing regional collaboration.This session, aligned with the OEGlobal 2026 theme, emphasizes how collaborative and context-sensitive open education practices can serve to defend knowledge as a public good, especially in underrepresented regions. This provides a model that institutions and policy makers can use to upscale the OER initiative, while ensuring quality and impact.
Speakers
avatar for Mahmoud Hawamdeh

Mahmoud Hawamdeh

Project Manager, Al-Quds Open University
Dr. Mahmoud Hawamdeh is an EdTech researcher and educational expert with over 25 years of experience in higher education, particularly in digital pedagogy, policy, and innovation. He is a current project manager for national education reform and a prominent figure at Al-Quds Open... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 11:05am - 11:35am EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

12:25pm EDT

OpenBody Atlas: Visualizing Human Biology and Drug Interactions Through Open, Interactive Learning
Friday October 9, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
5 DR3
ID: 33765

What if anyone could see, in real time, how a drug travels through the human body and transforms its function?What if this knowledge were not restricted to textbooks, but openly accessible, interactive, and collaboratively built for all?OpenBody Atlas is an open, innovation-driven platform designed to reimagine how human biology and pharmacology are explored, understood, and shared as a public good. While traditional medical education relies on static, discipline-specific resources, this project introduces a systems-level approach that integrates anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology into a unified, interactive environment. The session aligns with the principles of open practices by demonstrating how collaborative, interdisciplinary innovation can produce scalable and inclusive knowledge systems.At its core, OpenBody Atlas functions as a dynamic interface of the human body, where users can navigate across biological systems and visualize functional processes in real time. Its defining innovation lies in the integration of a pharmacological layer: users can select a drug and observe its journey through the body, including mechanisms of action, receptor interactions, metabolic pathways, and systemic effects. This transforms passive learning into an exploratory, data-driven experience that bridges foundational science with applied therapeutics.This session will highlight how open practices—such as open-source development, community contribution, and peer-reviewed knowledge sharing—can be applied to build and sustain such a platform. OpenBody Atlas is conceptualized as a participatory ecosystem where students, educators, and researchers collaboratively create, validate, and expand content. By combining research-based knowledge with lived experiences and diverse medical perspectives, the platform supports a more inclusive and globally relevant understanding of healthcare.A key focus of the session will be the innovation framework behind the platform: how interdisciplinary thinking (spanning biomedical sciences, digital design, and open systems) can be leveraged to address gaps in current educational models. The session will also explore how this approach aligns with broader open movements, including open science, open data, and open education, positioning OpenBody Atlas as a convergence point for these initiatives.Participants will gain practical insights into designing open, scalable knowledge systems that move beyond institutional boundaries. The session will demonstrate how such models can be adapted across disciplines and contexts, particularly in resource-limited settings where access to integrated, high-quality educational tools remains a challenge. By emphasizing openness, interactivity, and collaboration, OpenBody Atlas presents a replicable model for innovation in knowledge sharing.Key takeaways include: understanding how open practices can drive innovation in complex knowledge domains; identifying strategies for building collaborative, interdisciplinary platforms; and recognizing the potential of open systems to democratize access to scientific and medical knowledge. Participants will also be invited to engage with the concept and explore opportunities for contribution and co-creation.
Speakers
avatar for Yash Sale

Yash Sale

OpenBody Atlas: An Open-Source Platform Integrating Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, SSSPM’s Dr N J Paulbuddhe College of Pharmacy Ahilyanagar Maharashtra India Asia
Yash Sale is a Bachelor of Pharmacy student with a strong academic foundation in anatomy, physiology, and neuroscience. He has completed certifications from premier institutions including the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, St George's... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

12:25pm EDT

The Global Open Graduate Network’s Pilot Hubs: A Networked Approach to Scaling Open Education Research
Friday October 9, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
6 DR4
ID: 33857

Since 2013, the Global Open Graduate Network (GO-GN) has supported doctoral and postdoctoral research in open education and practices worldwide. In 2023, we conducted a 10 year anniversary strategic review (Farrow et al., 2024) with our membership and the wider GO-GN and open education communities. This review captured the network’s achievements to date and future aspirations, including exploration of a more federated approach for the network.This presentation reports on the outcome of this work, which focused on a pilot programme to establish and evaluate four regional hubs (Asia-Pacific, Canada, Ibero-America and Kenya). We will report on the development of these regional hubs across six continents, relating insights from the evaluation and reflecting on how other open education networks might approach questions of scale, diversity and sustainability.Through exploring a federated model, GO-GN has sought to reconcile tensions between scale and responsiveness, enabling regionally situated communities to define priorities, build capacity, and exercise leadership while remaining connected to a wider international network. This directly addresses persistent gaps in open education relating to equity, representation, and the inclusion of Global South perspectives.The session’s value lies in its combination of strategic reflection and practical insight. It moves beyond abstract commitments to openness by demonstrating how governance, sustainability, and participation can be reconfigured through distributed models. The evaluation findings provide evidence of what works, what remains challenging, and how networks can evolve to better align their values with their impact.For conference participants, the relevance is twofold. First, it offers a transferable framework for designing and sustaining open education initiatives that are both globally connected and locally meaningful. Second, it contributes to a broader conversation about how openness can be reimagined as a dynamic, negotiated process. In doing so, the session provides actionable insights for researchers, practitioners, and network leaders seeking to build more inclusive, resilient, and context-sensitive forms of open education across borders.
Speakers
avatar for Robert Farrow

Robert Farrow

Senior Research Fellow, The Open University (UK)
Programme Lead, Open Education Research Hub and Co-Director of Global Open Graduate Network 
avatar for Beck Pitt

Beck Pitt

Senior Research Fellow, The Open University (UK)
Co-Director of Global Open Graduate Network
avatar for Carina Bossu

Carina Bossu

Senior Lecturer, Co-Director of Research Capability Hub, The Open University (UK)
Dr Carina Bossu is a Senior Lecturer in Academic Professional Development with the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University, UK. Her work and research have been focused on Open Educational Resources (OER) and Open Educational Practices (OEP) in higher education... Read More →
SD

Saraswati Dawadi

Research Fellow, The Open University (UK)
Saraswati Dawadi's current research is around language assessment, equity and inclusion in education, girls’ empowerment and professional development through online learning. She is the evaluation lead for the GO-GN Pilot Hubs.
Friday October 9, 2026 12:25pm - 12:55pm EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

2:15pm EDT

Sidebars as Seedbeds: How a Modular Design Can Help with Updating, Customizing, and Localizing OER Content
Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
5 DR3
ID: 33948

A long time ago, in a sociocultural context far, far away, we decided to write a research methods textbook. Our team was fed up with the exorbitant cost of textbooks. We taught sociology courses at Virginia Commonwealth University, a highly diverse urban public university, and we were constantly supplementing commercial textbooks with our bespoke instructional material anyways. We decided we might as well write our own book, one that students could easily afford, and that wouldn’t easily put them to sleep. From the outset, we wanted to write a textbook that would be relatively painless to revise. The fundamentals of research methods—what good research is, how best to think about and approach it—have not changed so much. However, the examples that textbooks use to illustrate sound research design or point out pitfalls do change across time, location, and populations. They changed in the years following the publication of the OER sources we drew upon for some of our textbook’s content. They changed even across the many years we spent writing The Craft of Sociological Research: Principles and Methods of Collecting, Analyzing, and Presenting Social Science Data (2024). Anticipating this, we sought to make our textbook modular, incorporating numerous sidebars that were meant to be revised or swapped out, with the core text remaining more stable. Besides allowing us to readily replace many of our research examples with timelier ones, these modular sidebars would also aid other authors and instructors who wanted to localize the textbook—say, by introducing research examples and discussions of local issues that might be more suited to their student populations.This presentation discusses how a modular design can help with updating, customizing, and localizing OER content. As a case study, we examine the development of our sociological research methods textbook, The Craft of Sociological Research (https://viva.pressbooks.pub/sociology-research-methods), which uses modular sidebars that describe notable examples of research, present interviews with prominent researchers, discuss local issues that past research has illuminated, and cover advanced methodological topics. The placement of these modular sidebars throughout the textbook makes it simple and straightforward to update its illustrative examples and customize a significant portion of its material for specific communities of readers, in line with the model of formal localization, whereby OER content is deliberately adjusted to align with local contexts and cultural nuances (Bradshaw et al., 2024). It allows instructors to customize the course to match the skill level and interests of their students. And it presents an opportunity for open pedagogy, providing opportunities for students to write short-form content for an OER’s sidebars. In a sense, the sidebars serve as well-organized seedbeds set aside within a garden, giving authors space to replant the text with a smattering of their own seasonal and native varietals while keeping its overall structure intact. Student surveys conducted after the textbook’s implementation show not only strong support for OER as a replacement for commercial textbooks, but also general satisfaction with the research examples and localized content that the textbook’s modular sidebars featured.
Speakers
avatar for Jessica Kirschner

Jessica Kirschner

Digital Publishing Coordinator, VIVA (Virginia’s Academic Library Consortium)
Jessica Kirschner is the Digital Publishing Coordinator at VIVA, Virginia’s academic library consortium. In this role, supports the publication efforts of VIVA's Open and Affordable Course Content program. Jessica began her career working in the acquisitions department at SUNY Press... Read More →
avatar for Victor Tan Chen

Victor Tan Chen

Associate Professor of Sociology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Victor Tan Chen is an associate professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University who studies economic inequality, labor markets, social policy, and alternative organizational forms. He has published five books: The Missing Class: Portraits of the Near Poor in America (with... Read More →
avatar for Gabriela León-Pérez

Gabriela León-Pérez

Associate Professor of Sociology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Gabriela León-Pérez is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Her scholarly interests lie at the intersection of the sociology of migration, Latino sociology, and medical sociology. Specifically, Gabriela’s research explores the determinants... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm EDT
5 DR3 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

3:35pm EDT

Beyond the Book: Hacking OER Infrastructures for Shared Maintenance and Governance
Friday October 9, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
6 DR4
ID: 33899

Open educational resources are typically imagined as books: finite objects authored at a moment in time, released, and then adopted by others. This framing has shaped nearly every layer of the OER ecosystem, from funding programs and hosting platforms to the expectations adopting instructors bring to the materials they use. It also quietly places the weight of keeping a resource current on the shoulders of individual authors, a burden that becomes untenable in fields where the subject matter shifts from semester to semester along with inevitable demands for maintenance (Jhangiani, 2019). Drawing on our recent article in the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication (Daly, Ahmad, & Schneider, 2026), this presentation argues for a different starting point: OER as a dynamic digital commons, more akin to an open source software project than a printed textbook, requiring ongoing maintenance and shared governance.We ground this argument in an autoethnographic case study of an OER textbook on social media, a topic in which knowledge and topics ceaselessly evolve (Daly, 2023). The original author created and maintained four overlapping editions over several years, navigating cloned versions, manual re-checks of openly licensed media, accessibility re-layering, a legal threat from an image-rights service, and warnings from a promotion committee that the labor was endangering professional advancement. When an adopting instructor proposed moving the textbook toward collective stewardship, the team pursued funding, drafted preliminary by-laws, and invited adopters into co-authorship. However, other adopting instructors either did not respond or graciously declined, defaulting to the reader role that book conventions had trained them to expect. Funders would also not pay the original author to keep improving the work, and the hosting platform offered no up-stream contribution or version-control affordances. The book in question is now archived, despite maintaining high numbers of readers or adopters.We read these obstacles against lessons from open source communities, where forking is a last resort and upstream contribution, version control, codes of conduct, and templated governance documents are common practice (Schneider, 2021). From that comparison we offer three directions for hacking the open ecosystem toward the public good. First, organize economic flows that pay for maintenance and governance, not only initial creation and adoption. Second, advocate for upstream revision affordances inside OER platforms, including version control, contributor identification, and embedded decision-making tools. Third, coordinate the cultural work of shifting adopter expectations from passive consumption to commons participation, including governance documents inside OER themselves.Libraries have repeatedly reshaped social expectations around access to knowledge. We invite the OEGlobal community to take up a parallel shift around stewardship, so that the promise of OER as growing organisms is matched by infrastructures that can support their lifecycles.
Speakers
avatar for Nathan Schneider

Nathan Schneider

Associate Professor, Department of Media Studies, University of Colorado Boulder
Nathan Schneider is an associate professor of media studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he leads the Media Economies Design Lab and the MA program in Media and Public Engagement. He is the author of four books, most recently Governable Spaces: Democratic Design for... Read More →
avatar for Diana Daly

Diana Daly

Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, College of Information Science, University of Arizona
Dr. Diana Daly has authored open educational resources including Humans R Social Media and Decoding Deception, and a scholar in information science focused on literacies in new media technologies including artificial intelligence, and on information trust, misinformation, and information... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
6 DR4 MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

3:35pm EDT

Coding a Drawing Tool Together: Learning How to Contribute to Open Source Software
Friday October 9, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
4 Room T
ID: 33970

The Processing Foundation’s mission is to promote software learning within the arts, artistic learning within technology-related fields, and to celebrate the diverse communities that make these fields vibrant, liberatory, and innovative. We work toward our goals by developing and distributing open source software (OSS) projects, Processing (Java) and p5.js (JavaScript). OSS has become one of the major cultural and technical achievements of the past half-century. Unlike commercial software, this work is a shared commons, built through collective knowledge, community practice, and sustained human effort. Unfortunately, there is often a significant gap between learning about OSS and developing the confidence to meaningfully contribute to it. Within communities that support Processing and p5.js, this gap is increasingly visible as we confront what Cabunoc Mayes and others have described as the “graying of open source,” a trend in which long-standing contributors are not being replaced by a new, diverse generation of participants (2025). As we celebrate 25 years of Processing, this moment calls for new approaches to access, participation, and recruitment through education. We developed a curriculum called Art + Code, which pairs with a professional development (PD) learning experience for K-12 educators with little or no prior coding background. The goals are to democratize access to computer science education and to reframe OSS contribution as a creative and collaborative practice. Throughout the PD, educators learn pedagogical practices for teaching creative coding while engaging as learners of the Art + Code curriculum. They explore foundational programming concepts through visually driven projects in p5.js. The culminating experience shifts from individual creation to collective contributions in the final project: the drawing tool. Here, participants develop custom “brushes” for a shared drawing tool, contributing code to a communal software project. Using OpenProcessing’s Live Collaboration feature, participants work together in a shared coding environment. This experience mirrors authentic OSS workflows while making visible the social dimensions of software development like attribution, remixing, negotiation, and collective ownership. For many educators, this is their first experience contributing to a shared codebase, reframing their understanding of what it means to “belong” in technical spaces.This session will share findings from pilot implementations of Art + Code across diverse educator cohorts. We will present qualitative insights and classroom observations that highlight how learners engage with core coding concepts through creative expression, as well as how participation in collaborative coding environments shifts their confidence and identity as potential contributors to OSS. We will also share educator feedback, including evidence of increased willingness to experiment, debug, and build on others’ work.  This session is designed for educators, curriculum designers, and open education advocates by offering both a conceptual framework and practical strategies for bridging the gap between learning and contributing to OSS. Participants will leave with concrete approaches to integrating collaborative, open-source practices into their own teaching, as well as access to the freely available Art + Code curriculum. In an effort to invite a broader and more diverse community into open source, this project centers creativity, collaboration, and meaning-making. 
Speakers
avatar for Roxana Hadad

Roxana Hadad

Co-Executive Director, Processing Foundation
For the last 25 years, Roxana Hadad, PhD has led research and programming aimed at making STEM and computer science education experiences equitable and relevant to students from historically excluded communities. As a Co-Executive Director at Processing Foundation, she oversees initiatives... Read More →
avatar for Amy B. Woodman

Amy B. Woodman

Director, Fellowship Program, Processing Foundation
Amy B. Woodman is the Director of Fellowship Programs at Processing Foundation, where she supports artists and creative technologists developing open-source tools. She brings over a decade of experience designing programs across education, technology, and the arts, with a focus on... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 3:35pm - 4:05pm EDT
4 Room T MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
  Presentation

4:15pm EDT

AI, Openness, and Democracy: Ethical AI Education in Diverse Learning Contexts
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 33964

This session explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), open education, and democratic participation, with a focus on how ethical AI education can be meaningfully integrated into diverse learning contexts across Europe. As AI technologies increasingly shape access to information, decision-making, and public discourse, education systems face a growing responsibility not only to develop digital skills, but also to strengthen critical thinking, ethical awareness, and active citizenship.The session draws on practice-based and research-informed insights from several European educational and social innovation initiatives, including programmes focused on digital inclusion, technology integration in education, and AI literacy development. These include work with teachers and learners in both formal and non-formal settings, particularly in rural and underserved contexts, where access to quality digital education remains uneven.Building on findings from teacher training programmes and curriculum innovation processes, the session presents how AI-related topics, such as algorithmic bias, information integrity, and the societal implications of automated systems - can be translated into pedagogically meaningful learning experiences. Evidence from projects involving over 200 educators highlights how teachers integrate emerging technologies into teaching practices, not as standalone topics, but as part of broader learning goals related to critical thinking, problem-solving, and civic engagement.A key focus is placed on the role of educators as mediators of complex technological knowledge. The session explores how teachers without technical backgrounds can be supported through structured methodologies, co-created learning materials, and iterative professional development cycles. Insights from multi-phase training models demonstrate how sustained engagement, peer learning, and reflection contribute to more confident and context-responsive teaching practices.The session also addresses systemic challenges identified across projects, including disparities in access to digital infrastructure, differences in institutional readiness, and the risk of reproducing inequalities through emerging technologies. These challenges are examined as critical entry points for rethinking the role of open education in ensuring equitable participation in increasingly digital societies.By linking AI education with democratic participation, the session highlights pathways through which learners can move from awareness to engagement, including connections to participatory mechanisms such as the European Citizens’ Initiative. This perspective positions education not only as a means of knowledge transfer, but as a foundation for informed and active participation in democratic processes.
Speakers
avatar for Eglė Celiešienė

Eglė Celiešienė

AI, Openness, and Democracy: Ethical AI Education in Diverse Learning Contexts, Vilnius Business College
Eglė Celiešienė is an expert in digital education, social innovation, and democratic participation, working at the intersection of education, technology, and European policy. She serves as Chairwoman of the Board of the NGO Confederation for Children in Lithuania and the Lithuanian... Read More →
avatar for Gabija Skučaitė

Gabija Skučaitė

Director, Vilnius Business College
Gabija Skučaitė is an entrepreneur, education leader, and founder with over three decades of experience in building and transforming educational institutions. She is the co-founder and Chancellor of SMK College of Applied Sciences and the owner and Chancellor of Kazimiero Simonavičius... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

Bridging Global Open Education and Local Capacity Building: An Integrated Model from Paraguay.
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 33976

In many emerging economies, access to high-quality education remains constrained by structural limitations, including restricted availability of advanced academic programmes, limited exposure to global knowledge networks, and insufficient development of analytical and digital skills. While open education resources (OER) and large-scale online learning initiatives have expanded access to knowledge, their integration into formal higher education systems remains uneven, particularly in Latin America.This session presents an institutional model developed in Paraguay that systematically integrates global open education resources into undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, with the aim of enhancing students’ analytical capacity, digital competencies, and global readiness. The model combines internationally recognised open learning programmes—such as the HarvardX Professional Certificate in Data Science and the MITx MicroMasters in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy—with locally delivered curricula, contextualised instruction, and structured academic support.A key innovation of this approach lies in moving beyond the passive consumption of open content. Instead, open courses are embedded within degree structures, aligned with learning objectives, and complemented by in-person facilitation, peer collaboration, and applied learning components. Students are not only exposed to world-class content but are also supported in developing the skills required to engage with it effectively, including academic English proficiency and quantitative reasoning.In parallel, the model incorporates a work-study scheme that connects students to real-world research projects and institutional initiatives, fostering the application of knowledge in practical settings. Additionally, participatory pedagogical approaches—such as the Pre-Texts methodology developed by the Harvard Cultural Agents Initiative—are implemented across courses to strengthen engagement, critical thinking, and collaborative learning.Emerging evidence from this experience suggests that the model contributes to substantial improvements in students’ data science capabilities, analytical performance, and confidence in engaging with international academic environments. Graduates from these programmes have been admitted to PhD programmes at leading universities such as University of California, Davis and University of Manchester, as well as master’s programmes at institutions including University of Chicago, London School of Economics, and University of Warwick. Furthermore, graduates have secured entry-level positions in organisations such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the Banco Central del Paraguay, and international data science firms, signalling strong alignment between training and labour market demands.The session will present the design principles, implementation process, and key lessons learned from this experience, with a focus on scalability and adaptability to other institutional and national contexts. By bridging global open education and local capacity development, this model offers a practical pathway for democratising access to high-quality education and strengthening human capital in emerging economies.
Speakers
JM

José Molinas Vega

General Director, Instituto Desarrollo
Economist, academic, and researcher with extensive experience in public policy, development, and higher education in Paraguay. He has held senior positions in government and academia and has led multiple initiatives aimed at strengthening human capital and institutional capacity... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

Can Open Technology and AI Power a Global STEAM Educator Network for Under-Resourced Communities?
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 33850

A teacher in rural India working on a low-bandwidth mobile phone, with limited infrastructure, multilingual needs, large class sizes, and complex pedagogical demands to navigate, integrating STEAM smoothly and effectively is a real challenge. And she is not alone. What does it take to build an open STEAM educator network that can not only survive, but truly thrive in under-resourced communities around the world?We have powerful examples to learn from. Fab Labs have built a globally distributed community of practice around making and STEAM, establishing thousands of centers across hundreds of countries and democratizing access to digital fabrication tools such as 3D printers and laser cutters. On the other hand, India’s Atal Tinkering Mission has set up thousands of open learning makerspaces in schools, where children learn to tinker, experiment, and solve real-world problems through structured programs. Both initiatives have demonstrated impact on students’ STEAM learning, innovation, and entrepreneurial skills.Yet common challenges persist: sustaining these spaces, building strong support networks, developing skills to operate and maintain equipment, ensuring access to resources at both individual and institutional levels, managing operational logistics, and integrating pedagogy into the curriculum. As a result, these models remain difficult to replicate or scale in under-resourced contexts where resources are scarce, teacher capacity is limited, and infrastructure is unreliable.Can open technology and AI change that equation?This session presents both the wins and challenges from existing networks and how these learnings are being used to build a proof of concept: ZubHub for Educators. ZubHub is an open-source, facilitation-first platform designed for under-resourced contexts: a community-driven tool for teaching creative, STEAM, and activity-based learning. It aspires to support an open STEAM educator network that can be scaled and sustained.ZubHub features low-cost activity alternatives, making hands-on learning possible even with limited resources. Its multilingual design includes AI-assisted translation for diverse language contexts. An AI-assisted content creation feature helps educators document and structure activities for reuse and sharing. A dedicated facilitation mode allows educators to enter a “teaching mode,” with built-in time tracking and community note-taking. Engagement tracking across sessions and resources helps surface widely used activities, encouraging adoption and inspiring more educators to facilitate them.Through this session, we’ll invite participants to reflect on how they would actively use ZubHub as educators for facilitating sessions, creating and adapting content, and engaging with communities. How might it fit into day-to-day teaching practice? How could its design support building open STEAM networks in local, regional, or global contexts? What would they change or adapt?Participants will leave with concrete ideas and practical starting points for using and shaping tools like ZubHub to build open, scalable, and sustainable STEAM educator networks.
Speakers
avatar for Srishti Sethi

Srishti Sethi

Co-founder, Unstructured Studio
Srishti Sethi has worked in open education for over a decade through the design, development, and advocacy of open-source educational tools. She is co-founder of Unstructured Studio, a not-for-profit working with children and educators in rural India and other under-resourced contexts... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

Creating Inclusive Multilingual Resources for all
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 33725

Nowadays, it is difficult to preserve one's own languages, culture, and identity because of displacement; migration; wars happening in some parts of the world; the long-term effects of COVID-19; and the dominance of major world languages in educational and media spaces. Yet for many children who speak minority, heritage, or otherwise underserved languages, access to meaningful literacy resources remains limited. Children thrive when they can see, hear, and read themselves in the materials around them.  Books, audio materials, digital stories, and other juvenile resources are often unavailable in the languages they use at home and in their communities due to the aforementioned factors. This lack of access is not simply a matter of missing materials; it also affects language maintenance, educational participation, cultural continuity, and a child’s sense of identity and belonging. When young people do not have access to their languages in spaces of learning, they may begin to see those languages as less valuable, less visible, or less worthy of preservation. Creating inclusive multilingual resources is essential for children and families who speak underserved and heritage languages to have meaningful access to literacy, learning, and cultural representation. In many communities, the shortage of books, digital stories, audio materials, and other juvenile resources in local or heritage languages limits not only educational opportunities but also identity, belonging, and long-term language maintenance. This proposal focuses on how open education and collaborative community-based practices can support the creation and sharing of multilingual resources that are accessible, culturally relevant, and responsive to the needs of underserved language communities. Drawing on the ongoing work through Indiana University Bloomington’s Books & Beyond and Multilingual Minds projects on Yoruba and Burmese-speaking communities in Indianapolis, this session highlights how community building, collaboration, and open educational practices can help writers, educators, illustrators, translators, and community members work together to produce resources for children and families. By centering open educational practices, this proposal asks how multilingual resources can be created in ways that are adaptable, shareable, and responsive to community needs. Open approaches make it possible to think beyond access in the narrow sense of cost alone. They allow us to consider who gets to create knowledge, whose language practices are recognized, and how communities can build resources that reflect their histories, values, and aspirations. In this way, open education becomes a means of supporting equity, accessibility, and participation rather than simply distributing materials more widely.The proposal also considers how broader issues such as linguistic dominance, limited funding, displacement, and unequal access to publishing opportunities shape the production of multilingual materials. We choose to prioritize accessibility, equity, and inclusion and invite participants to think about multilingual resource creation as both an educational and community-building practice that supports heritage language maintenance and strengthens identity and belonging.
Speakers
avatar for Comfort Adejoke Durojaiye

Comfort Adejoke Durojaiye

Indiana University, Bloomington.
Comfort Adejoke Durojaiye is a PhD student in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education at Indiana University Bloomington, where her work centers on language policy, cultural identity, multilingual education, and indigenous language revitalization. She is an educator, researcher... Read More →
avatar for Kaung Myat

Kaung Myat

Indiana University Bloomington
Kaung Myat is a Ph.D. student in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education at Indiana University Bloomington, with over a decade of experience in teaching, research, and community engagement across Myanmar and the United States. He currently serves as a Burmese Language Adjunct Instructor... Read More →
JF

Jonas Fos

Indiana University, Bloomington.
Master's Student, Library & Information Science and Folklore & EthnomusicologyIndiana University BloomingtonJonas Fos is a Master's Student in Library Science and Folklore & Ethnomusicology at Indiana University Bloomington. His research interests focus on the intersection between... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

Don’t I Know You?: Re-Designing Open Programming for Inventive Collaboration
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 33460

Open Education programming often favors the familiar, but curiosity and connection can take us somewhere meaningful and new. This talk explores what happens when we treat programming not as event planning, but as relationship-building. Grounded in this approach, it highlights how curiosity, informal conversations, and community feedback can lead to more inclusive, responsive, and collaborative programming that upholds knowledge as a public good.I’ll briefly share two experimental formats shaped by this philosophy: 1) From the Field, and 2) Open Exchange – both designed to create space for dialogue, not just delivery. In Open Exchange, for example, sessions aren’t recorded by design, encouraging participants to speak freely, reflect openly, and engage in richer, more candid conversations, reinforcing collective knowledge-building.Working in “inventive spaces” means making room for new perspectives, unexpected connections, and the kinds of conversations that don’t always fit neatly into a traditional webinar, but matter just the same. In a field that values openness, this is an invitation to consider not just what we share, but who we make space for, how we design it, and who we might become as a result of the shared reinvention of knowledge. 
Speakers
avatar for Heather Blicher

Heather Blicher

Director, Community College Consortium for OER (CCCOER), Open Education Global
Heather Blicher is the Director of the Community College Consortium for OER (CCCOER) with Open Education Global, where she leads efforts to expand and support Open Education across community and technical colleges in North America. A passionate advocate for access, equity, and collaboration... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

Experiences of online faculty in using open pedagogy to support social justice
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 32503

It is often assumed that open education, by virtue of improving access to education, de facto supports social justice, but this is not the case. Additionally, online learning is generally thought to improve students' access to education because of the flexibility in when and where to learn that is possible, but it can, in fact, be a site of social injustice for historically marginalized students. As a result, using open pedagogy in an online course to support social justice requires intentionality on the part of the instructor.For my dissertation, I completed a qualitative, interpretive phenomenological study underpinned by critical theory that sought to answer this central research question: What are the experiences of post-secondary faculty members who teach online using open pedagogy to support social justice? My study was situated within the context of one post-secondary institution located in British Columbia, Canada, and faculty who teach online courses using open pedagogy to support social justice were interviewed.The results revealed that faculty members conceptualize social justice in a variety of ways, primarily focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion of identities, as well as removing systemic barriers. They operationalize social justice through using open pedagogy by centring student voices, diverse perspectives, and learner agency. As well, faculty members engage in social justice leadership development by valuing lifelong learning; engaging in professional development on a variety of topics and in a variety of ways; and welcoming, valuing, and incorporating student feedback and input. The results also revealed they need to be more direct and explicit in expressing their support of social justice by using open pedagogy. Accordingly, I developed a social justice model of open pedagogy that faculty members could use to help plan how they will engage in open pedagogy to support social justice while avoiding the perpetuation of teaching practices that can be marginalizing. Despite some limitations of the research stemming from the study design and the geopolitical context, future research could more deeply explore the risks faculty members face when using open pedagogy in support of social justice.
Speakers
MA

Melissa Ashman

Instructor, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Melissa Ashman is an instructor of business communications, public relations, and entrepreneurial leadership at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. An advocate for all things open, she has adapted and created open textbooks, developed and used open pedagogy assignments and practices... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

From Classroom to Community: Open Pedagogy for Inclusive Care
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 32982

This project reimagines open educational practice in junior-level nursing education by integrating open pedagogy, transparent AI use, and public-facing knowledge sharing to address real-world barriers to equitable health care. Embedded in an undergraduate Chronic Care course, nursing students engage with open educational resources (OERs) focused on special populations in public health, including faith traditions and spiritual worldviews, as well as stateless, displaced, refugee, asylum-seeking, and immigrant populations. The OER content provides students with a structured, accessible introduction to how culture, belief systems, migration histories, legal status, trauma exposure, and structural barriers can shape health behaviors, trust, access to care, and the continuity of care.Rather than presenting populations as fixed categories, the OER emphasizes complexity, intersectionality, and the limitations of labels. Students are encouraged to move beyond assumptions and instead approach care through cultural humility, trauma-informed practice, and patient-centered communication. The content introduces practical strategies for asking respectful questions, assessing barriers to care, using interpreters appropriately, and aligning care plans with patient values and priorities when clinically safe to do so. In this way, the OER serves not only as informational content, but also as a framework for helping students think more critically and compassionately about the lived realities that influence chronic illness management.Students then select one population focus and apply that learning to develop an evidence-based safety bundle for the management of a chronic condition covered in the course. Using AI transparently as a co-creator rather than a ghostwriter, students are supported in shaping and refining their bundles while remaining responsible for the clinical reasoning and final product. The assignment requires students to connect population-specific considerations to concrete nursing care and to translate broader public health and social context concepts into practical, patient-centered interventions. Each bundle includes evidence-based interventions, culturally responsive patient education, attention to faith and spirituality considerations or legal status and migration-related stressors, and SMART goals to support safe, individualized care planning. In doing so, students deepen their understanding of how inclusive care planning can improve safety, communication, adherence, and continuity in chronic disease management.Students then share their work as a “living poster,” creating an open-access learning resource that classmates can use and build upon. This public-facing component extends the assignment beyond individual course completion and positions students as contributors to a shared knowledge commons. By combining OER content, applied bundle design, and ethical AI-supported learning, this project demonstrates how open educational practices can foster deeper understanding, strengthen clinical judgment, and generate practical, practice-ready resources for the public good.
Speakers
avatar for Andrea Reed

Andrea Reed

From Classroom to Community: Open Pedagogy for Inclusive Care, Virginia Commonwealth University
Andrea Reed is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she teaches in the undergraduate nursing program, and is part of the National League of Nursing Social Determinants of Health 2026 Leadership Cohort. Andrea co-leads the VCU Institute for Women’s... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

From Consumers to Contributors: Exploring How Participation in Open Publishing Influences Student Belonging
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 31857

Open pedagogy offers students the opportunity to move from passive consumers of knowledge to active contributors in public knowledge ecosystems. However, less is known about how students experience this transition, particularly when their work is shared beyond the classroom. This presentation shares insights from a qualitative study exploring students’ experiences with open publishing, including contributions to open-access publications and open educational resources (OER). It examines how participation in open publishing shapes students’ sense of belonging, inclusion, and academic identity, while also considering how these experiences may vary across different backgrounds, disciplines, and learning contexts.Drawing on student narratives, the session highlights emerging themes related to authorship, visibility, and legitimacy. Students describe how contributing to public knowledge resources influences their sense of belonging—feeling recognized, valued, and connected to both classroom and broader scholarly communities. Many students reported increased motivation, engagement, and confidence as they experienced themselves as legitimate knowledge creators, while also navigating concerns about vulnerability, imposter syndrome, and perceived credibility. By centering student voices, the study illuminates the human dimensions of open pedagogy and demonstrates how fostering belonging can strengthen participation, identity development, and learning outcomes.The presentation also provides an overview of the study’s methodology, including participant recruitment, ethical considerations, and thematic coding of interview data. Reflections on lessons learned as emerging researchers highlight practical strategies for supporting students’ agency, ensuring ethical research practices, and designing open assignments that promote belonging and inclusion.Situating these findings within the broader landscape of open education, the session underscores how open pedagogy supports collaborative, participatory, and globally connected learning. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of students’ experiences in open publishing and actionable insights for creating inclusive opportunities that strengthen belonging, encourage public contribution, and recognize students as co-creators of knowledge. This session will be particularly valuable for instructors, librarians, and researchers interested in understanding how open practices can both empower students and foster meaningful connections within learning communities.
Speakers
avatar for Ginelle Baskin

Ginelle Baskin

Assistant Professor and Open Education Librarian, Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)
Ginelle Baskin is the Open Education Librarian at Middle Tennessee State University, where she leads campus initiatives to advance textbook affordability and the adoption of open educational resources (OER). She works closely with faculty, departments, and campus partners to support... Read More →
KW
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

From Numbers to Narratives: Using Data Storytelling to Demonstrate OER Impact and ROI
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 33956

Open Educational Resources (OER) initiatives require sustainable support from institutional stakeholders, and compelling data stories are essential for demonstrating their value. This lightning talk will showcase practical approaches for collecting, analyzing, and presenting data narratives that illustrate OER's return on investment (ROI) and institutional impact. Drawing from Texas A&M University's institutional experience, this session will highlight how to transform raw data into persuasive stories that resonate with various audiences. Attendees will learn how to leverage multiple institutional data sources including enrollment data, library usage statistics, and purchasing data to craft compelling narratives about OER adoption and impact. The presentation will demonstrate how to calculate and visualize student cost savings, analyze enrollment patterns in OER courses, and track adoption rates across departments and colleges in ways that tell meaningful stories that advance institutional missions around affordability and accessibility. A key focus of this session is moving beyond simple numbers to create narratives that illustrate the human impact of OER programs. Data storytelling allows practitioners to connect quantitative metrics—such as dollars saved and courses offered—to qualitative outcomes that matter to stakeholders: improved student access, reduced financial barriers, and institutional commitment to affordability. By framing data within these broader narratives, OER advocates can demonstrate how their work directly supports institutional goals and student success. Real-world examples from Texas A&M will illustrate how data storytelling can support advocacy efforts, secure funding for OER programs, and encourage faculty adoption. Attendees will see how presenting evidence of cost savings alongside adoption metrics through compelling narratives creates powerful arguments for program sustainability and expansion. The talk will explore practical visualization techniques and dashboard development that make complex data accessible and actionable for different audiences, from faculty champions to senior administrators.  
Speakers
avatar for Lindsey Todorovich

Lindsey Todorovich

Open Education Librarian, Texas A&M University
Lindsey Todorovich works as an Open Education Librarian at Texas A&M University, where she manages the OpenEd department’s data dashboard. Her work supports evidence-based decision making, strategic outreach initiatives, and efforts to advance course affordability across campus... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

From Open Resources to Open Pathways: Leveraging OER to Expand Concurrent Enrollment Access
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 33904

From Open Resources to Open Pathways: Leveraging OER to Expand Concurrent Enrollment AccessThis session will examine the maturation of Open Educational Resources (OER) practices within a statewide online public charter school, and how these practices have facilitated the development of strategic partnerships designed to enhance equitable access to concurrent enrollment (CE) opportunities. The presentation will detail the progression from initial open course publication to the current application of data-informed curriculum refinement, professional learning community collaboration, and emerging content development supported by generative AI. By sharing program outcomes, metrics of student success, and the relevant policy context, the session aims to illustrate how coordinated secondary–postsecondary partnerships can effectively bolster transfer readiness, improve academic performance, and establish scalable pathways that align the philosophy of open education with institutional objectives for access, persistence, and workforce preparation.
Speakers
avatar for DeLaina Tonks

DeLaina Tonks

Executive Director, Mountain Heights Academy
Dr. DeLaina Tonks has been involved in education since 1991, as a teacher, instructional designer, and administrator. Prior to coming to Mountain Heights Academy, she taught high school French and Spanish in Upper Arlington, Ohio. DeLaina is a 2020 “Best of State – Administrator... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

Integrating Interactive 3D Physics Simulations into Open Educational Resources and Textbooks
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 32762

Physics is often seen as abstract and difficult, especially when students only learn from static text and equations. In my teaching experience, many students struggle to visualize what is really happening. This session introduces 3JCN Physics Simulation, a free online platform with over 330 interactive 3D simulations that help make complex physics concepts easier to understand through visualization and interaction.In this session, I will share how I use these simulations in my classes and how they can be integrated into open educational resources (OER) and physics textbooks. Instead of only reading formulas, students can change parameters, observe results, and build intuition step by step. This approach helps connect theory with real physical meaning and supports different learning styles.I will demonstrate several simulations from topics such as mechanics, waves, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics. I will also show simple ways to embed these simulations into online materials or digital textbooks without requiring advanced programming skills.This work is based on my experience teaching physics for more than 20 years, where I have seen that visualization and interaction can significantly improve student understanding. I will also briefly discuss teaching strategies such as active learning and using simulations for concept exploration and discussion.Participants will leave with practical ideas on how to use interactive simulations in their own teaching. All simulations are freely available, and I hope this work can support wider access to quality physics education around the world.I welcome feedback, ideas, and possible collaboration from the open education community.
Speakers
avatar for Thomas Nguyen

Thomas Nguyen

Adjunct Physics Instructor, Palomar College
Thomas Nguyen is an adjunct physics instructor in San Diego, California, with over 20 years of teaching experience in the United States and Vietnam. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and two master’s degrees in physics and computer science. Thomas specializes in developing... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

MIT OpenCourseWare To Go: Extending Open Knowledge to Mobile Learners Globally
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 33950

MIT OpenCourseWare To Go (https://ocwtogo.mit.edu/) reflects MIT’s long-standing commitment to upholding knowledge as a public good by expanding access to free, open educational resources for learners everywhere—especially those with limited or intermittent connectivity. OCW To Go enables learners to download curated MIT OpenCourseWare courses to mobile devices for offline use, including videos, making open learning portable and inclusive. As open education continues to expand globally, ensuring that knowledge is not limited by infrastructure remains a critical challenge. This session shows how open, offline‑capable technologies can help uphold knowledge as a public good, particularly for learners in mobile‑first and low‑connectivity contexts.For more than twenty-five years, MIT OpenCourseWare has embodied a vision of unlocking knowledge for the benefit of all. Since its launch in 2001, OCW has grown to reach over 500 million learners globally. Yet achieving the vision of anytime, anywhere learning has often depended on reliable Internet access, sufficient bandwidth, and a computer whether a laptop or desktop. The growing use of mobile devices to access OCW, 30% on average with some countries exceeding 50% mobile use, led the team to explore how to better serve these users. OCW To Go overcomes prior constraints by bringing the OCW experience into a learner’s pocket without Internet connectivity.OCW To Go addresses long-standing technical barriers posed by mobile operating systems, which traditionally prevent full websites from being stored and viewed locally. Learners browse a curated list of courses, select a course to download including optional videos and view them in a web browser on their mobile device while offline. The result is a soon-to-be open source, progressive web app that functions as a self-contained local web server on a learner’s device. Course materials are stored in the browser’s local storage and accessed offline, with video downloads available based on learner selection to respect bandwidth and storage limitations.OCW To Go empowers learners to engage with open education on their own terms—wherever they are and whenever they want. As a work in progress, OCW To Go invites collaboration, feedback, and shared invention from the global open education community as we collectively advance open practices and safeguard access to knowledge for the benefit of all.
Speakers
avatar for Curt Newton

Curt Newton

Director, MIT OpenCourseWare, MIT Open Learning
Curt Newton leads MIT OpenCourseWare in supporting millions of global learners and educators every year with freely shared materials from over 2,500 MIT courses. He joined OpenCourseWare in 2004, shortly after its launch, captivated by the promise of open education, and worked as... Read More →
BM
HV

Hardi Vajir

MBA Candidate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Hardi Vanir is a product leader passionate about building technology at the intersection of AI and social impact. At MIT Sloan, I am conducting AI research on communication and empathy, leading mentorship initiatives as VP of Sloan Women in Management, and pursuing a certificate in... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

OER and General Education as “Good, Necessary Trouble”
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 30934

Those who teach general education courses or who advise frequently hear the dreaded question: “Why do I have to take this course?” In higher education, there is a near-constant battle concerning the worth of a college education. Yet, we do not often have effective student-facing ways to frame why we have such requirements.The open access textbook Why Do I Have to Take This Course? A Guide to General Education, published with the Remixing Open Textbooks through an Equity Lens project, helps students think about why they take General Education courses through the lens of U.S. Representative/Civil Rights activist John Lewis’ philosophy of “good, necessary trouble.” Building on S.R. Lambert’s “Changing our (dis)course” (2018), this approach has underscored the value of OER and open education more broadly as ways to engage students with how general education provides a basis of knowledge and skills for creating social change, helping us to move from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Speakers
avatar for Kisha Tracy

Kisha Tracy

Professor, English Studies, Fitchburg State University
Dr. Kisha G. Tracy is a Professor and Chair of English Studies and Chair of the General Education Program at Fitchburg State University. She received her Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from the University of Connecticut. In addition to several articles, her first book was published by... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

Open Access 3D Printed Anatomical Models for Health Sciences Education
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 33981

Human anatomy is foundational to health science education and a core course in many undergraduate degree programs, including pre-med, pre-nursing, pre-dental, biomedical engineering, kinesiology, and exercise science.  Anatomy instruction relies heavily on hands-on 3D tools, including human cadaveric body and organ donation, plastic models, and skeleton models, which are essential for teaching anatomical relationships and spatial reasoning.  While these tactile resources are among the most important pedagogically, they are also the most expensive (ranging from $100 - $10,000 per model), a burden which increases lab fees for students and makes them financially inaccessible for many institutions.  The recent explosion of 3D printing technology has the potential to revolutionize anatomy education by lowering the cost of anatomical models, thereby improving access to resources across health sciences programs. The Modern Human Anatomy Program at University of Colorado Anschutz recently launched an open-access repository, called the Colorado OER Anatomy Hub, that hosts 3D-printable models of human organs paired with teaching guides for classroom implementation. Models can be downloaded and printed for free by anyone in the world with access to a 3D printer at a fraction of the cost of commercial models. We piloted 3D printed heart and brain models in 7 anatomy courses across 5 universities in Colorado and solicited feedback through a student survey assessing helpfulness, ease of use, engagement, and satisfaction. Across 821 completed surveys, respondents rated the models highly on all measures (mean Likert scores: 4.0–4.2 out of 5), with 78–87% agreeing or strongly agreeing that the models aided spatial visualization, were easy to use, enhanced engagement, and positively contributed to their learning experience. Moreover, 82% of students recommended the 3D printed models for future students and provided suggestions for modifications and improvements. This presentation will discuss these findings along with the theoretical, practical, and ethical considerations for 3D printing in anatomy education. Ultimately, we aim to empower educators to develop, use, and share OER 3D printed organ models to enhance student access and engagement in health sciences education.
Speakers
ZS

Zachary Stetter

Academic Services Principal Professional, University of Colorado Anschutz
Zachary D. Stetter, MS, is a human anatomical and 3D modeling Principal Professional in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. They manage the 3D printing lab within the Modern Human Anatomy program, alongside providing... Read More →
avatar for Maureen Stabio

Maureen Stabio

Associate Professor & Executive Director, Modern Human Anatomy Program, University of Colorado Anschutz
Maureen E. Stabio, PhD (née Estevez) is an associate professor in the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology and Executive Director of the Modern Human Anatomy (MHA) Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. She directs neurosciences courses... Read More →
EH

Ezra Heeschen

Business Services Principal Professional, University of Colorado Anschutz
Ezra Heeschen is the OER program manager in the Modern Human Anatomy Program in the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado Anschutz.Ezra Heeschen is the OER program manager in the Modern Human Anatomy Program in the Department of Cell & Developmental... Read More →
SS

Steven Summers

Medical Student, University of Colorado Anschutz
Steven Summers is a Medical Student attending the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz. He has interest in 3D printing, student education and mentoring, and ophthalmology.
CL

Chelsea Lohman

Associate Professor & Executive Vice Director, Modern Human Anatomy Program, University of Colorado Anschutz
Chelsea Lohman, PhD is an associate professor in the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology and Executive Vice Director of the Modern Human Anatomy (MHA) Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. She directs gross anatomy courses in both... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

Promoting the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals with Institutional Repositories
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 32242

In 2025, Excelsior University launched its first institutional repository, known as SOAR. Its mission is to showcase the work of the Excelsior University community, including faculty, staff, and students. All of the work featured on SOAR is openly available. An institutional repository is also a great way to promote the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Research has shown that aligning an author’s work with the SDGs increases citation rates, research visibility, and policy changes. This presentation will share how SOAR incorporates the SDGs into its metadata. Additionally, authors are asked to choose the Goal that best reflects their work in SOAR’s submission form. By having authors think about the goals early on in the submission process, authors can envision the global impact of their works.   
Speakers
MC

Melissa Chim

Scholarly Communications Librarian, Excelsior University
Melissa Chim is the first Scholarly Communications Librarian at Excelsior University where she both created and manages the university’s scholarly publishing platform and institutional repository. She holds an MLIS from St. John’s University and an MA in History from Queen Mary... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)

4:15pm EDT

Reinventing assessment as an open educational practice: an experience in a posgraduate course in Uruguay
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
ID: 33147

In this presentation, we address the course "Assessment: a general perspective and a focus on the classroom," which is part of the Specialization and Master's Program in Didactics of Higher Education (Instituto Educación, Universidad CLAEH).Since its original version, which I have been responsible for since 2015, the proposal has evolved over time, particularly following its redesign into a fully online format due to the health emergency (2020). As we will describe in this communication, the course's evolution reflects a growing openness, both in my own teaching practice regarding assessment and in the associated involvement of its participants, who engage as peer colleagues and protagonists in their own assessment and the overall experience.The course’s guiding threads seek to foster in participants the development of an assessment model oriented toward learning, grounded in informed, well-founded reflection on theory and classroom practice. The module is organized around assessment in university classrooms; this theme is present not only in the content but also serves as a foundational pillar in the development of activities and feedback, as part of continuous assessment within a participatory, collaborative, and critically reflective approach that runs throughout the course. The course design interweaves different frameworks: on the one hand, the didactic model, inspired by teaching for understanding; on the other, the design of online teaching, strongly influenced by collaborative learning and learning communities (Czerwonogora, 2025). This articulation generates a novel framework that combines theoretical perspectives expressed through situated praxis. Assessment and feedback are central throughout the course's trajectory, in a constant back-and-forth between theory and reflection on participants’ teaching practices, as well as the collaborative construction of a "task situated in a real context" with peer assessment.In keeping with my commitment to the open movement and the aim of providing a transparent and collaborative learning experience (open teaching, Couros, 2010), the course also promotes critical consumption of content, the use of free and/or open-source tools and software, the incorporation of open licenses, and the synthesis of knowledge through the shared development of learning networks. For students, the experience proves to be "demanding, engaging, ethical, intense, dizzying, different, yet highly enriching; challenging, yet empowering"; it fosters "constant critical reflection and encourages creativity in my thinking."This reinvention of assessment presented here is grounded in an expansive conceptualization of open educational practices, allowing for multiple points of access and pathways to openness (Cronin & MacLaren, 2018). The broad definition of OEP underlying this proposal does not rely on the inclusion of open educational resources. Rather, it is expressed as emancipatory praxis (Grundy, 1987) that challenges the traditional approach to assessment in teaching practices.
Speakers
AC

Ada Czerwonogora

Universidad CLAEH (Centro Latinoamericano de Economía Humana)
She holds a PhD in Natural Sciences (Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo) and a PhD in Philosophy (Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación) from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina; a Master's degree in Virtual Learning Environments (Universidad de Panam... Read More →
Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Video
  Lightning Talk (View Anytime)
 
From $195.00
  • Filter By Date
    Oct 7 - 9, 2026
  • Filter By Venue
    Cambridge, MA, USA
    All
    1 Salon MIT
    2 Room M
    3 Room I
    4 Room T
    5 DR3
    6 DR4
    7 DR5
    8 DR6
    9 7th Floor Lobby
    Video
  • Filter By Type
    General
    Lightning Talk (View Anytime)
    Panel
    Plenary
    Presentation
    Round Table
    Special Activity
    Workshop
  • Speaker Modality
    Hybrid
    In-person
    Online
  • Track
    (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together
    Catalyzing Human Connection Creativity and Curiosity to Thrive
    Exploring Emergent Technologies and the Future of Openness
    Hacking the Open Ecosystem and Praxis for the Public Good
    Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge
  • Timezone
OEGlobal 2026
From $195.00

Get help with the event

Contact event planner Event login
View support guides Find upcoming events
Create an event you'd love to attend!
Explore why organizers choose Sched • Success stories
Event App • Event scheduling • Event registration • Event ticketing • Sched forms • Call for papers • Badges • Conferences
© 2026. SCHED LLC - All rights reserved - Helping events since 2008
Conference Scheduling Software • Privacy • Terms
Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link

Filter sessions
Apply filters to sessions.
Wednesday, October 7
Thursday, October 8
Friday, October 9
1 Salon MIT
2 Room M
3 Room I
4 Room T
5 DR3
6 DR4
7 DR5
8 DR6
9 7th Floor Lobby
Video
  • General
  • Lightning Talk (View Anytime)
  • Panel
  • Plenary
  • Presentation
  • Round Table
  • Special Activity
  • Workshop
  • Speaker Modality
  • Hybrid
  • In-person
  • Online
  • Track
  • (Re)Inventing our Shared Global Vision Together
  • Catalyzing Human Connection Creativity and Curiosity to Thrive
  • Exploring Emergent Technologies and the Future of Openness
  • Hacking the Open Ecosystem and Praxis for the Public Good
  • Innovating Open Content to Democratize Knowledge
  • Popular