ABSTRACT. What happens when a long-standing commitment to open sharing of knowledge awakens to and begins to infuse responses to the stark reality of the climate emergency? What new learning practices are catalyzed, and how can this lead to a more just and livable world?

In this session, we’ll explore some ways that more timely, equitable and effective climate learning is being enabled by the methods and materials of open education; and also how open education practices can evolve to maximize the positive impacts of climate action efforts.

Substantial progress has been made on climate action and climate justice in recent years. But our “business as usual” trajectory of incremental change within existing systems still has us on track for warming of over 3C by 2100. This trajectory is less dire than the prospects of 4C+ that we faced a decade ago; but without much deeper transformations, we’re still on a path to trigger planetary tipping points, ecosystem collapses and mass disruptions of human society.

More must be done. And as a means of transformation, open practices have a key role to play.

These questions are playing out now in developing the Climate Project at MIT, an ambitious program announced in early 2024 to do bigger things faster and work more effectively with partners around the scientific and societal challenges of climate change.

In this session, we’ll highlight some of the ways that open knowledge practices are infusing climate work at MIT and in its collaborations, and ask what might be possible if a commitment to open knowledge practices spreads widely across climate action spaces.

At OE Global 2023, a workshop session began to consider an open climate knowledge community of practice. We discussed needs and opportunities, and identified some resources and programs that can serve as inspirations and a basis for future work. See workshop notes at https://bit.ly/oeglobal-climate-community.

One year later, where are we? How are open methods and materials making a difference for general public engagement and empowering k-12, post-secondary, workforce and professional learning about climate change and climate justice? Current and future generations are counting on us to make this everyone’s business.

ABSTRACT. “An area of HE activity that is highly inequitable is the provision of expensive fully copyrighted print-based textbooks” (Cox, Masuku and Willmers: 2020).

Open educational resources (OER) have gained traction in many parts of the world, through their expression as open textbooks. South Africa is no exception when it comes to proclaiming their commitment to such open practice. The Open Learning Policy Framework for South African Post-School Education and Training commits higher education (HE) to such pursuits (Department: Higher Education and Training, 2017). As well as this national commitment, literature clearly demonstrates that open textbooks have the potential to disrupt the trajectory of exclusion in South African Higher Education by addressing issues of cost.

Open textbooks are also seen as a solution to variable quality of educational resources as well as addressing social injustice through increased access to learning materials (Cox et al., 2020; Hodgkinson-Williams & Arinto, 2017). The Digital Open Textbooks for Development (DOT4D) Project found that open textbooks “addressed economic, cultural, and political in justices faced by their students, issues not considered by traditional textbooks” (OER Africa, 2024). However, not much is known about the use of open textbooks in South African Higher education, especially in Accounting education and more specifically taxation education. Taxation is the focus of this study because of its content uniqueness to specific countries based on regional tax law.

In addition to the geographical uniqueness annual amendments to Tax Acts necessitate the continual updating of some content. Most universities in South Africa prescribe textbooks for undergraduate taxation modules (Department: Higher Education and Training, 2020). For all the reasons provided above and others reported in literature on open textbooks, this study aims to explore the use of open textbooks in Taxation. The challenge is that for the use of a taxation open textbooks to be sustainable, someone needs to take responsibility for updating for annual changes. Currently this function is performed by various commercial publishers who pay authors to do this.

The paper will report on a study focused on exploring the use of open textbooks in tax education. The paper will first report on a scoping review on the use of open textbooks in business education globally. The overarching question was: How are open textbooks used in business education? Following the scoping review, the study surveyed undergraduate taxation lecturers at South African universities to garner their perceptions regarding the use of open textbooks with the intention of introducing the use of open textbooks in tax education. The paper will report on the findings of this survey and more specifically identifying the challenges that need to be mitigated so that open textbooks or a sustainable alternative that speaks to increased access to learning materials and lower costs, can be introduced in the South African taxation education arena.

ABSTRACT. The impact of open textbooks on learning outcomes and academic success in higher educational institutions is a topic of increasing interest and importance. Open textbooks, which are educational resources that are freely available online, have gained popularity due to their potential to reduce financial barriers and increase access to course materials. Open textbooks also provide opportunities for faculty to tailor the content to align with their specific curriculum objectives, which contributes to improved learning outcomes. Educators can customize open textbooks by adding or removing sections, rearranging content, and supplementing material with supplementary resources. This customization ensures that the content is relevant, up-to-date, and aligned with the specific learning objectives of the course. Consequently, students using open textbooks receive targeted and comprehensive instruction, leading to a better understanding of the subject matter and improved academic performance.

Despite the potential advantages, there are challenges associated with open textbooks, such as ensuring quality control, maintaining updated content, and addressing technological access disparities. These factors need to be considered for a balanced implementation of open educational resources. Understanding the impact of open textbooks on learning outcomes and academic success can lead to informed decisions regarding the adoption and incorporation of open educational resources in educational institutions. By considering the key takeaways mentioned above, educators, institutions, and policymakers can work towards enhancing educational equity, affordability, and improved academic outcomes for all students.

The study examines various factors such as student engagement, performance, and satisfaction, comparing outcomes between students using open textbooks and those relying on traditional commercial textbooks. While some studies show promise, with open textbooks leading to improved grades and reduced withdrawal rates, particularly for underprivileged students, others find no significant difference in academic performance compared to traditional textbooks. By analyzing existing literature, empirical evidence, and survey responses from students, this research sheds light on the potential benefits and challenges associated with the use of open textbooks.

The session aims to explore the latest research findings, best practices, and challenges related to the adoption and implementation of open textbooks, and their influence on student learning outcomes and overall academic success. Through presentations, discussions, and interactive activities, participants will gain insights into the potential benefits, pedagogical implications, assessment methods, and institutional support structures associated with the use of open textbooks. Ultimately, this session will provide a platform for educators, researchers, administrators, policymakers, and students to engage in meaningful dialogue, share experiences, and collaborate on advancing open education initiatives that promote equitable access to quality learning materials and enhance student success in higher education. The findings of this study will contribute to the ongoing discussion on open educational resources and provide insights for educators, policymakers, and students seeking to enhance academic success through affordable and accessible learning materials.

ABSTRACT. Are open educational resources (OER) books, or something else? OER represent a transformative shift in educational publishing, merging the static nature of traditional textbooks with the dynamic potential of digital media available globally. In certain respects, however, OER still lack essential infrastructure for the affordances of what we call evolutionary media—media artifacts that change over time through practices of continual adaptation and modification. We contend through a review of literature and case study of the OER Humans R Social Media that taking the evolutionary affordances of OER seriously and realizing their full potential necessitate robust maintenance and governance structures, drawing parallels with the commons-based governance of open-source software.

Since the late 1990s, when academics like David Wiley championed open access and the redistribution of educational content (Blessinger & Bliss, 2016), "open" has broadened to emphasize cost-free access, inclusivity, and global collaboration among educators (Conole, 2012; Olcott, 2012). Yet for all their benefits, the sustainability of OER remains a challenge. Ongoing updates are crucial for maintaining the relevance and efficacy of these resources (Bell, 2020; Wiley et al., 2013). Effective maintenance involves content updates, user contributions, and peer reviews to ensure quality and accuracy (Algers & Ljung, 2015; Atenas & Havemann, 2013).

The case study of the OER textbook "Humans R Social Media" (HRSM) highlights practical challenges and opportunities of treating OER as evolutionary media. Initially a commercial online book about social media, as part of a funded project HRSM transitioned to an OER, incorporating student testimonies and guest chapters. This transition eventually revealed the necessity for a collaborative governance model to sustain continuous updates and relevance. Funding constraints and the lack of a clear governance framework posed significant hurdles, prompting the development of a shared governance strategy by the author, adopting instructors, and other emerging stakeholders.

Based on this case study and broader literature, we propose three recommendations for enhancing OER governance from an evolutionary perspective:

1. Sharing Best Practices: Standardize governance templates for new OER projects. Provide explicit governance information within OER textbooks to guide user contributions. Organizations supporting OER development should publish accessible templates for project initiation and management.

2. Economic Support: Develop funding models that acknowledge the costs of OER maintenance and encourage contributions from institutions that benefit from these resources. Grantmakers should support the sustainability and governance of OER, and educational institutions should financially contribute to the materials they utilize. Models like Open Collective can manage financial contributions efficiently.

3. Platform Integration: Implement functionalities in OER platforms that support collaborative maintenance, such as version control and user contribution mechanisms. Embed governance processes directly into these tools to facilitate effective management and evolution of OER.

Recognizing OER as evolutionary media necessitates a shift from viewing them as static resources to dynamic, collectively governed assets. Effective governance and maintenance practices are essential for ensuring OER can continuously evolve to meet the changing needs of educators and learners. By adopting these strategies, OER can rival traditional textbooks, making their creation and upkeep a shared responsibility and everyone's business.

ABSTRACT. This session presents a reflective narrative of my experience in a post-graduate diploma program in education conducted in online mode, utilizing Microsoft Teams as the primary platform. As a teacher and administrator, we were assigned to facilitate a group of 40 students in nine different subject classes from 6.00 PM to 9:30 PM for a semester of 6 days a week. The experience of this one session has also emphasized the potential of effective teaching in Nepal's open education among digital capabilities and problems and challenges to reduce the digital divide.

In a developing country like Nepal, limited access to digital infrastructure has created significant challenges to implementing open education effectively. But using free available (only for education institutions) Microsoft Teams, we navigated these challenges to create an engaging and inclusive learning environment for our students. When using various methods of teaching and learning, such as synchronous lectures, and asynchronous discussions, it was observed that students should be informed about the condition of the equipment and use the appropriate software tools according to learner devices.

Our approach was committed to enhancing digital literacy among students and enhancing subject knowledge. We incorporate curriculum content and digital skills development, empowering students to search for, archive, authenticate online resources, and critically evaluate digital content. Given the nature of the subject, organizational complexities emerged and resources were generally attempted, but in the absence of digital skills and teachers and learners, the need for careful planning and coordination emerged.

Through the use of instant messaging apps such as What’s app, Facebook Messenger, and Viber as well as the use of MS Teams communication channels to coordinate the management of online classes, we were in regular contact with the students, providing timely feedback and support to facilitate their learning journey. In the absence of digital skills, we used data analysis tools instead of traditional methods to track student progress, identify areas for improvement, and provide instruction accordingly.

Despite the challenges posed by digital skills, better internet, tools, and the digital divide, the flexibility of both teachers and students emphasized digital skills development and curriculum adaptability. By embracing digital technologies and developing digital competence, we can overcome barriers to educational access and equity, empowering learners to thrive in the digital age. Therefore, we must commit to advocating for policies and initiatives that prioritize digital inclusion and equal access to education through open and distance learning. By fostering collaboration between academic institutions, the private sector, government agencies, and academia, we can bridge the digital divide and unlock the full potential of open education to transform lives and communities in Nepal and beyond.

ABSTRACT. Learning design is the development and creation of learning and teaching experiences based on pedagogical theory and practice. This process might include resource generation, collaboration and sharing between colleagues and the use of participatory technologies (Conole, 2015). It requires learning designers (LDs) to act as well as performing as change agents in higher educational institutions (Bond, Lockee & Blevins, 2023). These attributes are also central to Open Educational Practices (OEP) (Hegarty, 2015), suggesting that effective learning design could be invaluable in advancing Open Education movement. Discussions about learning design often overlook the identity of the LD (Heggart, 2021).

In their position at the nexus of subject areas, institutional priorities and student experience, LDs have been characterised as the connectors between different fields of knowledge and working practices (Roberts, et al., 2023) and problem solvers and change agents (Pollard & Kumar, 2022). OEP and open pedagogy hold the promise of advancing ethical and inclusive education, fostering learner equity. LDs are positioned strategically to facilitate the realisation of making OEP everyone’s business for higher educational institutions. However, this position between fields of knowledge, sometimes labelled the ‘third space’, can put LDs on the margins of education. Their role as change agents can seem peripheral or is not a priority in advancing OEP for their institution.

In a study of LDs and OEP in education institutions, Morgan (2019) found that LDs consider themselves advocates of open education and seek out opportunities to engage in OEP. However, the LDs in the study experienced restrictions on this advocacy; limitations included lack of time, space, and support from leadership. There was a disparity between the intentional and operational agency of the LDs. In the Australian context, there has been little exploration of this relationship between LDs and OEP.

In this presentation, we report on preliminary findings from an initial literature review aimed at understanding the role of LDs in advocating for OEP. Early insights, combined with reflections on our practice, indicate that while libraries and librarians often take the lead in discussions about OER, LDs are not as engaged when the conversation shifts to learning and teaching. Initial feedback from stakeholders highlights the importance of cross-pollination between LDs and other teams, including librarians, faculties and senior management. We believe that everyone has a specific role to play in advancing OEP.

Our focus will be on the core practices of learning design, emphasising that catering to the student learning journey through the constructive alignment of the curriculum is fundamental to effective learning design and central to OEP. UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 calls for effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. By cultivating an understanding of LD agency in OEP, higher education institutions, and all institutions that employ LDs, can ensure their strategy includes the professional development and capacity building needed to move LDs from the periphery to the centre of OEP advocacy.

ABSTRACT. The Global OER Graduate Network (GO-GN) [1] is an international network of doctoral researchers and alumni who work in the field of open education. The network currently has 179 doctoral researcher and alumni members, an increase of 54% since 2020. Our members’ institutions are based in 28 different countries around the world and approximately 30% of our membership is based in the Global South. The GO-GN network also includes a wider community of several hundred experts, supervisors, mentors and other interested parties who connect to form a community of practice. Open is GO-GN's business!

GO-GN supports and connects our members, raises the profile of member research and actively promotes and explores openness as a form and function of research. Central to our mission are equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). We achieve these aims in a range of ways, including holding regular online events (such as member research specials, guest speaker events and edit-a-thons), face-to-face workshops, collaborative publication opportunities (e.g. our Open Research Handbook) [2] sprints (e.g. on OEP and AIED) and 1:2:1 sessions. This increased diversity of our offer reflects both our response to the Covid-19 pandemic and our community of care approach [3].

Hosting events to support and connect our doctoral researchers prior to major international open educational conferences are a priority for GO-GN. Last year we celebrated our 10th anniversary in Edmonton, Canada prior to the Open Education Global 2023 conference [4]. Prior to OE Global 2024 we will be holding a two-day symposium and workshop to enable networking, the sharing of research and collaboration. Our symposium on day one will comprise networking and research sharing activities. The focus of day two’s workshop, which will be open for participation from the wider open education community, will be to progress our EDI work, particularly in the Asia and Pacific regions.

We are proposing a presentation session at OE Global 2024 to showcase and amplify the voices and research of our doctoral researcher and alumni members who will be participating in our workshop and this year’s OE Global conference. This session will facilitate and support networking through the sharing of research between GO-GN and the wider OE Global community. The presentation will begin with a very brief overview of GO-GN, followed by a series of short interactive lightening talks from GO-GN members on their research. These lightening talks will provide insights into the diversity of current doctoral research into open education. There will be plenty of opportunity for questions, interaction and feedback in this fast-paced session!

ABSTRACT. As the field of open education matures and discussions expand from resources to pedagogy, the key questions relating to the what, why, and how of open pedagogy keep surfacing. At the Open Education Network, we attempted to answer these questions through the development of an Open Pedagogy Action Pathway that resulted in a suite of openly licensed short and long-term professional development opportunities and resources that are rooted in a desire to transform learning to be more inclusive and student-centered.

Understanding that educators need a variety of entrance points to embrace and understand open pedagogy, we have focused intentionally on partnering with librarians and instructional designers, equipping them with training on how to facilitate short-term strategies such as introductory workshops and open pedagogy learning circles in which an educator transforms a piece of curriculum through open pedagogy. We have also created a year-long certificate program for educator-librarian teams to be equipped with a foundational understanding of open educational practices rooted in the principles of social justice (Bali, Cronin, & Jhangiani, 2020).

We have provided helpful resources for the practice of open pedagogy such as an open pedagogy student toolkit and an open pedagogy portal that showcases open pedagogy case studies and related resources searchable by topic. It is through this careful creation and curation of openly licensed professional development opportunities, resources, and partnerships that we hope to make open pedagogy and its transformative power accessible to everyone.

ABSTRACT. Open educational resources are a well-established model for universities, but high school students often struggle to use these resources effectively. In Taiwan, the updated Curriculum Guidelines require high school students to engage in self-directed learning each semester. This aims to help them explore their academic interests and identities before university. When applying to universities, students’ learning portfolios, which highlight their interests and academic potentials, are crucial for admission. Therefore, universities must provide high-quality open classrooms accessible to high school students. These courses can help students develop academic interests, mindsets, and self-directed learning capabilities.

This approach not only prepares students for future academic success but also promotes a culture of openness, sharing, and collaboration. Leveraging university open classrooms for high school students benefits both the students and the broader educational community. In this presentation, we introduce a case study of establishing an open classroom using a university's general education course, Contemporary Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain and Mind.

By exploring community of inquiry and learning engagement theories, this study establishes a five-step model to transform a large class into a highly interactive online format. By integrating livestreaming technology and platforms like YouTube live streaming, Slido classroom interaction software, and social media such as Facebook and Instagram, the five steps are: immersive live lectures, real-time polling and quick Q&A, filtering crowdsourced questions, extending learning through summaries and reflections, and knowledge sharing on social media. This study employs design-based research with 768 students participating.

Through pre- and post-tests, surveys, platform data, and qualitative research data, the results show:

1. students' academic performance significantly improved, with high school students outperforming university students in the post-test;
2. the new learning model showed significant improvements in students' agentic, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement, as well as critical thinking, with no significant difference in social engagement;
3. nearly 40% of students completed the final project through team collaboration using online tools like Instagram chat, Google Meet, and Google Slides;
4. students initially felt shy and awkward but gradually enjoyed and felt accomplished in knowledge sharing;
5. students used digital note-taking, integrating screenshots, typed notes, and handwriting.

Creating an open classroom for high school students is exciting and rewarding, but it requires significant effort, including human and economic resources. Universities aiming to promote open education should formulate regulations, policies, or funding grants to support teaching teams in creating open classrooms. This project's open large-class interactive teaching method can serve as a reference for universities in promoting open classrooms and conducting highly interactive teaching in the future. Establishing a robust support system can ensure sustainability and continuous improvement in delivering open educational resources to a broader audience. This holistic approach will enhance the learning experience for high school students and contribute to the overall advancement of the educational landscape.

ABSTRACT. Over the past decade, the Taiwan Ministry of Education (MoE) has launched a series of e-learning initiatives to improve educational quality and accessibility. Since 2014, the MoE has funded multiple 3-year projects, each focusing on different aspects of e-learning development.

The inaugural project, initiated in 2014, was a transformative step towards modernizing Taiwanese education. It encouraged educators to overhaul their teaching methods, utilizing digital tools to create high-quality online courses tailored to specific subject areas. This shift towards a more dynamic and interactive learning environment marked a departure from traditional classroom settings, accommodating diverse learning styles.

Following the success of the first project, the MoE launched a second three-year endeavor from 2017 to 2019. This phase aimed to deepen the integration of e-learning into higher education institutions. The focus shifted towards developing interconnected series of courses, enabling universities to offer micro-credit programs. A total of 66 course series were established during this phase, significantly expanding e-learning offerings across Taiwanese universities.

The third phase, starting in 2019, represented a strategic response to the evolving educational landscape, with an emphasis on fostering digital learning readiness. Participating universities were tasked with formulating comprehensive plans to promote e-learning among faculty and students, including the establishment of support teams and incentive structures.

Building on these initiatives, the MoE initiated a second round of funding from 2022 onwards to optimize online learning experiences and extend exemplary courses to neighboring Southeast Asian countries. This involved reconfiguring the project architecture to introduce an alliance-based model for university participation. Each alliance comprised a central hub university with extensive e-learning experience and several partner universities eager to learn from their expertise.

During the initial phase of this four-year project (2022-2023), six alliances involving 32 universities were formed, fostering collaboration within the Taiwanese e-learning ecosystem. As the project progressed, alliances and university compositions were restructured to better align with evolving priorities. By the latter half of the project (2024-2025), five alliances comprising 27 universities were actively engaged in advancing the e-learning agenda.

The current phase of the project focuses on empowering educators, guiding students, and fostering vibrant local ecosystems conducive to educational innovation. This includes developing strategies to incentivize instructional redesign and integrate emerging educational technologies such as AI tutors.

In conclusion, the MoE's e-learning initiatives have made significant strides in promoting online education within Taiwan and beyond. This presentation aims to highlight these achievements and inspire universities to continue developing high-quality online courses, positioning Taiwan as a leading source of e-learning excellence in the region.

ABSTRACT. Today’s higher education (HE) students often need to bridge knowledge and skills gaps for things that are not explicitly covered in their course curriculum. For example, students may need to create a presentation and record it as a video for an assessment, yet they are not taught how to do this. Flexible and timely self-paced options that leverage Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) can help to address gaps such as these but need to cater for specific needs of time-poor students. This presentation outlines early research models and findings into the use of open microlearning, a form of microlearning that is based on the principles of open educational practices (OEP), for self-directed learning at Charles Darwin University.  Open microlearning offers quick, bite-sized learning (usually 5-15 minutes) that leverage freely available and reusable materials, as well as collaboration with others, to meet specific learning needs. The research centres on the opportunities and benefits that open microlearning can offer, and models that can be used for design and implementation.

The research is informed by a comprehensive literature review, and data collected from staff and students at Charles Darwin University. The study utilises a Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology that provides an iterative and collaborative approach for designing, testing, and refining interventions in real-world educational settings (McKenney & Reeves, 2013). While microlearning and open practice are not new concepts, research reveals limited familiarity and use within HE contexts. The study highlights key elements for development models with open microlearning, including the importance of micro-assessment and reflection as part of open microlearning interventions.

Open microlearning can assist lecturers and learning designers to develop streamlined and engaging TEL materials for supplementary and extension activities to suit individual student needs in a wide variety of contexts. The focused, micro-format aligns with the trend in adult learner preferences for shorter, more informal educational activities (Bannister et al, 2020) and accommodates busy student schedules.

Open microlearning is a multifaceted construct that requires careful consideration to provide targeted learning to address specific knowledge or skill sets. Properly applied, open microlearning can facilitate effective and efficient learning with reduced cognitive load (Lee, 2021). Inclusion of OEP promotes access and equity in education through the sharing of high-quality resources and reduction of costs (Ossiannilsson, 2020). This study is part of a broader PhD research project around open microlearning as self-directed learning in higher education. In this research open microlearning is not aimed at replacing traditional accredited training, but rather is used for self-directed learning to address knowledge gaps and contribute to improved student success.

ABSTRACT. Digital publishing platforms can create multiple pathways for knowledge equity, students as creators, and engagement with readers. At the City University of New York (CUNY), we have worked with our partners at the University of Minnesota Press and Cast Iron Coding, to create Manifold, a free, collaborative, open-source digital publishing platform that is used across the 25 campus CUNY community (and the world) to create and teach with dynamic digital projects. Access to this open publishing platform has opened new possibilities within the OER initiative at CUNY to create digital projects to house custom classroom versions of texts that are in the public domain or openly licensed, written by faculty and students, including journals, capstones and theses, and faculty scholarship.

Using Manifold’s built-in social annotation feature, CUNY instructors find creative ways to help students develop critical reading skills, empower students as co-creators, help students see that reading and writing are never solitary activities, and teach important digital literacy and civic engagement. The CUNY community uses Manifold reading groups to create public, private, and anonymous annotation groups where they can work together to annotate texts and project resources, conduct peer review, study course assignments, and create custom course readers. Unlike other social annotation tools, Manifold@CUNY is both open-source and free to all users.

In this presentation, a librarian at a CUNY four-year college, a teaching faculty member at a CUNY two-year college, and the Manifold Open Educational Technology Specialist will discuss projects that they have created, facilitated, and/or adapted on the platform and their experiences managing projects and working with students as open knowledge creators. The projects include My Slipper Floated Away: New American Memoirs, the OER Starter Kit Workbook, the special issue of the Journal for Multicultural Education on the intersections of Open Educational Practices and Equity Pedagogy, Introduction to American Government, HUM 1: Modern Humanities, and more. Several of these projects have received recognition as OE Global Award winners, as has the Manifold platform itself. The presenters will offer their experiences with Manifold, including selecting Manifold as the platform for the project, the creation process, engaging readers, and updating materials.

As we discuss the ways we and other members of the CUNY community have used Manifold, we will foreground the fact that Manifold is open to the wider community in multiple ways. First, anyone from anywhere is able to create a reader account on CUNY’s installation of Manifold - they need not be a member of the CUNY community to use any of the annotation features, so instructors at other institutions and individual learners all have access as readers to all of the projects on CUNY’s Manifold. Second, and more importantly, Manifold is free and open source, meaning that anyone anywhere can set up an installation. We will conclude by discussing the potential challenges and expenses, such as hosting and support that make Manifold free like a puppy. But just like a puppy, Manifold is more than worth the trouble.

ABSTRACT. One of the biggest challenges in getting some faculty members to adopt OER is a lack of supplemental resources. In some disciplines, this can be the difference between using a resource that students struggle to pay for and resources that are free. Artificial Intelligence can help solve this challenge as AI tools create flashcards, quizzes, graphics and even course objectives and key takeaways to pair with OER textbooks and additional materials.

This session will look at the AI tools and best practices that Open Educational textbook authors can use to help create supplemental materials for their textbooks quickly and easily. We will use and explain resources for faculty members and others who want to adopt or use Open Educational Resources, but they miss the ease of publisher provided flashcards, notes, presentations, quizzes and tests.

ABSTRACT. Our recent publication, an innovative open book, “Communication across Cultures”, designed to enhance intercultural competence, leverages culture as content and language as a medium to aim at facilitating effective communication in a context that may present cultural challenges.

This presentation will showcase how the book integrates interactive and collaborative tasks, employing H5P and reflective activities to create an engaging learning experience. This open book is structured in three modules to provide students with opportunities to immerse themselves in various cultural contexts through dynamic and various multimedia materials. By using videos, interactive quizzes, and discussions, this book addresses different learning styles, ensuring that individual students can connect with the content in a meaningful way.

The interactive tasks are not only informative but also encourage students to engage in critical thinking and self-reflection about their cultural assumptions and biases. These tasks in the modules are designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing educators to tailor the content to their specific classroom needs. Moreover, this book serves as a prime example of how supplementary educational resources can be created using open educational resources (OERs). By maximising the use of OERs, we have curated a wealth of high-quality materials that educators can access and apply. This approach not only reduces the cost of educational resources but also fosters a culture of sharing and collaboration in the educational community.

Before introducing this book in the classroom, using an adapted usability testing framework, data were collected from the researcher’s notes, during participant interactions with the book during the workshop, six individual participants written comments and interviews with two participants, and feedback from three educators. The data were analysed using a usability matrix (Kessler & Plakans, 2001, p.8) with a focus on three aspects: design, navigation, and content.

ABSTRACT. The presentation will discuss an initiative spearheaded by Open Oregon Educational Resources, which received funding to develop openly licensed, equity-focused materials for Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) and Sociology courses. The grant-funded project focused on developing materials for high-enrollment courses in disciplines that lead to in-demand occupations where high-quality openly licensed course materials with an equity lens were not currently available. The program began in 2022 and final publication of materials is planned for 2024.

One of the courses identified in this project was Human Services practicum. This presentation will focus on this course from development of the open educational resources, through course curriculum and into instruction. Central to this endeavor was the infusion of an equity lens into every facet of the curriculum. Topics ranging from agency culture to client diversity were explored through this perspective, shedding light on how issues of equity and inclusion impact students interning in human services. The materials not only addressed the diversity of clients but also scrutinized how agencies either support or hinder equity initiatives. Examples of this discussion include analyzing dress codes, provision of culturally-relevant services, and how the agency promotes equity.

Accompanying course packets were designed as open ancillaries, emphasizing equity in learning activities and assignments. Students were challenged to apply an equity lens in their coursework, with assignments structured for clarity and comprehension. Assessments were created using the TILT transparency framework in order to ensure understanding by diverse learners. Furthermore, the curriculum fostered reflective practice and self-care, utilizing journal prompts to encourage contemplation on equity issues and integrating self-care activities to promote habits essential for future human services professionals.

The piloting phase of the course ensured the maintenance of an equity lens in all activities and discussions throughout the term, with ongoing evaluation and feedback shaping the refinement of materials. Ultimately, this initiative underscores a commitment to inclusive education, equipping students with the skills and empathy necessary to navigate diverse professional landscapes and address societal challenges in their future careers.

ABSTRACT. The COVID-19 pandemic was a pivotal, high impact period in the history of modern education. Seemingly overnight, institutions, programs, and classes around the world moved from being in-person to being online. The amount of individual and collective effort required for this to happen was tremendous. As a result, the pandemic forced both K-12 and post-secondary education systems globally to view the purpose and provision of education, including open education, in different ways. At the same time, the systemic racism against Black, Indigenous, and other People of Colour (BIPOC) was simultaneously being brought to the forefront across all facets of society, including education (Boys, 2022).

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 (Clinton-Lisell et al., 2023; Iniesto & Bossu, 2023; Lambert, 2018; Mills et al., 2023; Raju et al., 2023). 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 (Brown, 2012; Butcher & Rose-Adams, 2015; Chen et al., 2022; Kennette & Lin, 2021; Maslowski, 2022; Oguz et al., 2015; Park & Choi, 2009; Pastore & Carr-Chellman, 2009; Williams et al., 2023), but it can, in fact, be a site of social injustice for historically marginalized students (Bakermans et al., 2022; Bozkurt et al., 2020; Croft & Brown, 2020; Ortega et al., 2018; Phirangee & Malec, 2017). As a result, using open pedagogy in an online course to support social justice requires intentionality on the part of the instructor (Bali et al., 2020; Hodgkinson-Williams & Trotter, 2018; Lambert, 2018).

For my dissertation, I am undertaking an exploratory, qualitative, and critical interpretive phenomenological study that seeks to answer this central research question: What are the experiences of faculty members who teach online using open pedagogy to support social justice? My study is situated within the context of one post-secondary institution located in British Columbia, and faculty who teach online courses using open pedagogy to support social justice are being interviewed to better understand how they conceptualize social justice, how they operationalize it using open pedagogy, and what approaches and strategies they use to develop their social justice leadership. In my presentation, I will share preliminary results from my study, and participants will have an opportunity to ask questions, provide feedback, and share ideas.

ABSTRACT. Open pedagogy offers a transformative approach to education that prioritizes accessibility, inclusivity, and active engagement, fostering both epistemic and social justice. This presentation explores the application of open pedagogy to mitigate educational inequalities, addressing critical questions around the construction of equitable learning activities, design choices that enhance epistemic virtue, and the implementation of social justice interventions in learner-centric environments.

Constructing Activities to Mitigate Epistemic Vices

Epistemic vices undermine the learning process and perpetuate educational inequities. This section examines strategies for designing activities that actively counter these vices. By integrating collaborative projects, peer review, and reflective practices, educators can create a learning environment that values diverse perspectives and encourages critical thinking. Activities such as co-created content, and community-based learning projects are highlighted as effective tools for fostering open-mindedness and intellectual humility. These approaches not only mitigate epistemic vices but also promote a culture of continuous inquiry and mutual respect among learners.

Enhancing Epistemic Virtue through Design Choices

Epistemic virtues, including curiosity, intellectual courage, and open-mindedness, are essential for a just and equitable educational environment. This section explores how thoughtful design choices in open pedagogy can enhance these virtues. For instance, the use of open educational resources (OER) allows students to engage with a variety of materials and viewpoints, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Incorporating problem-based learning and inquiry-driven projects can stimulate intellectual curiosity and encourage students to take intellectual risks. The presentation also discusses the role of scaffolding and culturally responsive assessment practices in supporting the development of these virtues, ensuring that all learners, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to thrive academically.

Social Justice Interventions in a Learner-Centric Environment

Open pedagogy inherently supports social justice by prioritizing the needs and voices of learners. This section outlines practical interventions that can be implemented to promote social justice in educational settings. By adopting inclusive teaching practices, such as culturally responsive pedagogy and universal design for learning (UDL), educators can create environments that acknowledge and value the diverse experiences of all students. The presentation highlights case studies of successful social justice interventions, such as participatory action research projects and service-learning initiatives, that empower students to engage with and address real-world social issues. These interventions not only enhance learning outcomes but also foster a sense of agency and social responsibility among students.

The integration of open pedagogy in educational practice holds significant potential for advancing epistemic and social justice. By learning from activities that mitigate epistemic vices, making intentional design choices to enhance epistemic virtues, and implementing targeted social justice interventions, educators can create equitable and inclusive learning environments. This presentation aims to provide educators with practical strategies and insights to leverage open pedagogy in the pursuit of educational equity, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to succeed and contribute to a just society.

ABSTRACT. In keeping with the theme of “Open is Everyone’s Business”, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) will share a comprehensive, nuts-and-bolts look into its Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Initiative and the collaboration required from various departments across the university in order to ensure ZTC courses are identified and marked during course registration. In the ZTC Initiative, KPU Open partners with the Library, the Registrar’s Office, Faculties and Departments, the Office of Planning and Accountability, and with individual instructors.

In Spring 2018, KPU embarked on a groundbreaking mission: to eliminate textbook costs for students. With support from BCcampus, KPU pioneered Canada's first ZTC Initiative, introducing 75 ZTC sections and a flexible 1-year Certificate in Arts credential. Since then, the initiative has flourished, transforming the educational landscape. Now, just six years later, KPU offers an impressive average of 22% course section offerings with ZTC, along with eight known ZTC credentials, including two four-year Baccalaureate degrees. As ZTC has grown, so have the needs to support the initiative, needs which required reaching out to other departments.

This presentation will give participants a practical and concrete look into how we manage the various parts of the ZTC program daily. As the program continues to grow, we continually examine our process to see how to improve and simplify as much as possible. We will for example discuss how students are made aware of the existence of ZTC courses, such as through the ZTC marker in Banner, as well as through our Student Ambassador Pilot and a social media campaign in collaboration with the Kwantlen Student Association.

We will also show how we collect data on ZTC courses; a new and improved process that involves collaboration with the Registrar’s Office, Deans, and the Office of Planning and Accountability.

We continually strive to grow the number of ZTC courses and programs. In order to ensure the availability of ZTC options for students in all areas of study, we have adjusted our grant structure to specifically target courses lacking in ZTC options. In addition, the Library and liaison librarians support ZTC classes in several ways, for example with a scanning service, assistance in finding relevant open materials, providing library materials with unlimited simultaneous users, as well as added options to improve accessibility of materials.

Lastly, we will provide a glimpse into our future plans, such as the creation of a Low Textbook Cost marker in addition to ZTC, how to future increase student awareness of both those programs, and our search for a new method for tracking OER Adoptions across KPU.

ABSTRACT. This design-based research study investigated the effectiveness of using MOOC scaffolds with translanguaging integrated to enhance self-regulated learning (SRL) and English as a lingua franca (ELF) proficiency in high school students learning in English-medium instruction (EMI) MOOCs. The study focused on students facing the dual barriers of ELF proficiency and online learning. The recent adoption of the English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) policy in Taiwan targets the education sectors across all ages, endeavoring to internationalize the educational landscape through rapid EMI penetration, underscored by the need for comprehensive teacher support as educators transition to this new instructional medium.

Culturally responsive MOOCs have gained attention in recent years for their potential to support diverse learners globally. However, there needs to be more literature regarding wrapping English-taught MOOCs with a scaffolding, translanguaging MOOC, which could provide a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for bilingual students. This niche in “wrapped” MOOCs represents an opportunity for further research and development, as it could enhance MOOCs' effectiveness in catering to students' diverse linguistic needs. By incorporating translanguaging practices and culturally responsive content, wrapped MOOCs could potentially bridge the gap between monolingual English-taught courses and the diverse linguistic backgrounds of learners, fostering a more inclusive and practical learning experience.

We developed five design-based research objectives in this study:

• Realize translanguaging and self-regulated learning scaffolds into the EMI MOOCs.
• Initiate a design team to prototype the “wrapped” course activities for the EMI MOOCs.
• Implement the prototype as two courses on one of Taiwan’s MOOC platforms to evaluate learning activities and improve the developed course activities based on learner feedback.
• Encompass the other six courses across SDGs to observe EMI students’ practice and engagement when taking the wrapped EMI MOOCs in different areas.
• Develop research-supported instructional practice for translanguaging scaffoldings MOOCs and its continuing growth.

The present study embodies design-based research (DBR), whose main characteristic is balancing theory and practice, necessitating careful planning and arrangement. To realize “theory-in-context”, EMI scaffolds and online learner scaffolds were implemented in the 2022-2023 program of virtual overseas study tours (VOST) in MOOCs. The ewant-based learning activities were designed to collect student reflections by stage and in a mixed form of idea presentation (i.e., words and snapshots), thereby being able to scaffold EMI MOOC experiences at all stages, following structured class arrangements for FutureLearn courses. To understand learners’ attitudes toward VOST in iteration 3, a 75-item Likert scale survey was administered, including English as a Lingua Franca; Online Self-Regulated Learning; Learning Engagement; program satisfaction; and open-ended questions. The questionnaire measured functional beliefs and attitudes about communication and competence in learning and speaking English as an international language, SRL in online learning environments, learners' attitudes toward teachers, course requirements, expectations, and willingness to learn online.

Our findings suggest that translanguaging MOOC scaffolds can effectively improve ELF attitude and self-regulation in high school students learning through EMI MOOCs. In other words, using these scaffolds may help students overcome the dual barriers of ELF proficiency and online learning. (496 words).

ABSTRACT. Open pedagogy has become a topic of burgeoning interest in higher education for its potential to enhance students’ learning, broaden their awareness of their participation in information and knowledge creation, and promote affordability of course content. Open pedagogy challenges the norms of traditional educational settings and the assumptive roles of the instructor and the students. What happens, though, when students come to the classroom with expectations about how the course will be structured?

The didactic contract is a construct used in mathematics education that describes tacit classroom norms. It includes the set of behaviors expected by the students for their instructor, as well as the instructor’s expectations of their students. In a traditional didactic contract, the implicit role of the instructor is to facilitate the knowledge transfer of the content to the student; however, open pedagogy views students as co-creators of knowledge, which can complicate students’ expectations of their roles as learners. Much of the literature has focused on the success of open pedagogy in increasing student engagement, but is there a possibility that the shift in the didactic contract, or the expected norms of a course, can disrupt student engagement?

In this presentation, I will discuss how the didactic contract is a useful construct for open pedagogy, and how we can use it to inform best practices around student agency and empower students to become active participants in their learning. We will explore how the terms of the didactic contact can be negotiated to mitigate student resistance by helping them understand the impact of open publishing for their work.

ABSTRACT. In the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education, the cost of textbooks remains a significant barrier to student success, particularly for students from low-income families, whose academic performance may be disproportionately impacted by financial constraints. The creation and adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) emerges as a crucial strategy for promoting equity and inclusion and driving pedagogical innovation in higher education.

This presentation explores two innovative OER initiatives transforming the teaching of engineering thermodynamics at the University of British Columbia (UBC) through innovative, accessible, and adaptable resources.

First, funded by UBC’s ALT-2040 fund, the “Introduction to Engineering Thermodynamics” open textbook was developed and published in 2022 by Dr. Yan. This textbook incorporates Universal Design for Learning principles and accessibility guidelines, making it accessible to diverse learners. Features include streamlined content, comprehensive tables, solved examples, and interactive practice questions using H5P. Since its publication, the textbook has been adopted by instructors from UBC and other universities, impacting hundreds of students annually. The textbook is available in multiple open repositories, promoting accessibility and inclusivity on a global scale.

Building on this success, a second initiative, drawing the expertise of a group of instructors and graduate students from UBC including Drs. Yan, Keulen, and Dehkhoda and Mr. Umashankar and Mr. Doustahadi, focuses on creating a dynamic problem bank using Jupyter Notebook. This project was supported by UBC’s OER Accessibility Grant, aims to deepen students’ understanding of thermodynamics through interactive problem-solving. The problem bank is hosted on a GitHub website and features over 50 programmable problems and interactive thermodynamics diagrams, allowing students to experiment with equations and input parameters and “visualize” the corresponding outputs and comprehend the underlying principles. This project not only enhances conceptual understanding but also equips students with essential coding skills valuable for their future engineering careers.

These initiatives underscore a sustained commitment to reducing educational costs while enhancing learning outcomes through open education. They exemplify how OER can drive pedagogical innovation and inclusivity in engineering education. By combining open textbooks with interactive, programmable problem bank, these projects empower students to engage with the material in a more dynamic and effective manner. Additionally, they provide instructors with resources to create and implement innovative pedagogies.

This presentation will provide insights into the development and implementation of these OER resources, the challenges faced, the successes achieved, and the ongoing efforts to further develop and disseminate these valuable educational resources. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how these OER projects are contributing to the future of engineering education and can explore how similar strategies can be applied within their own educational contexts.

ABSTRACT. Bibliothèques Sans Frontières (BSF) and Kajou wish to present three transformative case studies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, education, and health literacy. These initiatives demonstrate how AI can be leveraged to enhance teaching practices, streamline educational content delivery, and improve health literacy, particularly for under-resourced languages and remote and/or underserved communities.

1. Chatbot for Teachers: This project introduces a multilingual chatbot designed to support Senegalese teachers in their day-to-day teaching tasks whether in French or Puular. This project addresses the complex issues around supporting professional development and practice for teachers in complex and poorly resourced plurilingual environments. The offline chatbot mobile phone application, Karibu, linked to a custom fine-tuned LLM, will give teachers access to personalized teaching, learning, and assessment resources in even the most remote schools. The chatbot, part of a major action-research initiative, is being deployed in 70 schools in the Kédougou region with the support of the Senegalese Education Ministry and the French Innovation Fund.
2. AI-driven LibraryAssistant: To solve the difficulties faced by users when confronted by the overwhelming quantity of content and media they need to sort through before finding the resources they need, BSF is developing an AI-based library assistant. This tool will offer the automatic generation and curation of educational resources from a database containing over 30,000 items in 36 languages. Integrated into BSF’s offline Internet platform (OLIP), this tool will enable field partners to select content directly from our database to be downloaded to offline nano-servers (Ideas Cubes), facilitating access to educational materials in diverse linguistic and geographic contexts.
3. AI for Health Literacy: BSF and Kajou have begun, (at the time of writing) creating an AI-driven conversational agent that provides reliable health-related information to the general public and healthcare professionals, accessible both online and offline. Drawing upon user-generated questions, this tool will be validated by healthcare experts to ensure accuracy and reliability.

This project is supported by proposals to the Grand Challenges program with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Pasteur Institute, aiming to elevate global health literacy standards and provide populations fast and accurate access to critical information about health. We believe that these showcased projects not only reflect BSF’s commitment to employing AI for social good but also align with the conference theme, "Open is Everyone’s Business," by making knowledge and education more accessible and adaptable.

Participants will learn about the practical applications of AI in diverse fields, engage with real-world case studies, and explore how these technologies can be adapted to their contexts

ABSTRACT. AI pervades various facets of society, including education. In the open education domain, the notion of open AI, distinct from the entity OpenAI, is attracting attention. However, the precise connotations of "open" in conjunction with "AI" remain subject to diverse interpretations, reflecting conceptual tensions and longstanding differences around concepts of “open” in respective domains.

In a blog post last year, prominent edtech expert David Wiley wrote, “when people talk about whether or not generative AI should be “open,” they could be talking about whether the foundation models should be open, whether the modified model weights that result from fine-tuning should be open, and/or whether the prompts (which includes templates, embeddings, etc.) should be open” (Wiley, 2023). In a similar direction, focusing on licensing for different aspects of AI technology, the Open Source Initiative are currently developing an “open-source AI” definition (Open Source Initiative, 2024). On the other hand, in broader literature, definitions of open education and open technology encompass a wide range of concepts, where “open” could mean: “ethical” (Holmes et al., 2022), “inclusive” and “innovative” (Bozkurt, 2023), “co-created” and “learner-driven” (Walberg and Thomas, 1972), “non-proprietary” (Berners-Lee, 2023), “decentralised” (Crowston and Howison, 2005), “accessible without barriers” (Knox, 2013), “available to join”, “shared”, “not tightly controlled” (Weller, 2020), “available in the public domain or under an open license” (UNESCO, 2022), “interpretable” and “visible” (Conati, Porayska-Pomsta, and Mavrikis, 2018), and many others.

This indicates that “open AI” and “open-source AI” are overlapping but not identical concepts. “Open-source AI” seems to be about the tangible aspects of systems, whereas “open AI” is broader and potentially includes context of how systems can be used, who can use them, and what for. Rather than trying to resolve these debates into a single taxonomy/typology, we propose a meronomic, holistic account of openness in AI education which explores the relationship between definitions with respect to part-whole relationships. This will facilitate diverse contributions and critical discussion.

In this panel session, participants will have the opportunity to engage in the panel discussion and ask questions regarding the dimensions of openness of AI in education.

The agenda includes:

• 10 minutes: introductions, pre-recorded 1-slide lightning presentations from experts, panel reactions
• 10 minutes: panel interaction and debate
• 15 minutes: Q&A with panel members based on thoughts submitted by the audience (with backup questions prepared by the moderators).
• 5 minutes: closing discussion and synthesis.

Experts who agreed to contribute so far include David Wiley, Anne-Marie Scott, Aras Bozkurt, Chrissi Nerantzi and Leo Havemann. Some of them might join virtually. They will be provided with prompts ahead of time for their initial statements. Robert Farrow, an experienced moderator, will chair the panel discussion. During the discussion, delegates will be able to contribute reflections and questions through a back channel and these will be integrated into the discussion.

ABSTRACT. The burgeoning integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT into the fabric of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has highlighted a promising new direction for enhancing automated essay assessment processes. This research delves into the practical implementation of LLMs for evaluating student essays within MOOC frameworks, focusing primarily on exploring advanced prompt engineering strategies.

We investigate a spectrum of methodologies, including few-shot learning, Chain-of-Thought (CoT) prompting, and fine-tuning techniques, to discern the most effective strategies for harnessing the capabilities of LLMs in this educational domain. Drawing from the latest advancements in natural language processing (NLP), our study examines the ability of LLMs to deliver accurate, efficient, and scalable assessments of student submissions.

MOOCs typically host hundreds to thousands of students per course, presenting significant logistical challenges regarding assignment evaluation. The volume of essays that require assessment can be overwhelming for instructors, making it virtually impossible to provide detailed, timely feedback without technological assistance. The deployment of LLMs promises not only to enhance the grading efficiency and maintain consistency in evaluation standards across large cohorts.

The primary objective of this study is to explore the application of generative AI (GAI) in assisting with essay grading, utilizing open courses hosted at ewant, the largest MOOCs platform run by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in Taiwan . This course, "Required Credits for University Students - Emotional Education" is taught by Professor Chen Fei-Chuan at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. Since its first delivery in 2015, this course has been offered 137 times, with nearly 20,000 students enrolled. From both qualitative and quantitative perspectives, this course represents an optimal choice for the study, offering substantial potential for further research and development. Assignments in this course predominantly involve open-ended questions without standard answers, encouraging students to reflect, discuss, share, and synthesize their personal experiences based on the knowledge acquired during the course. This type of unstructured assignment is better suited for introducing GAI than structured assignments in science and engineering courses with definitive answers.

This research aims to leverage a data-driven approach to develop a GAI system that replicates the grading standards and performance of the instructors or teaching assistants (graders), thereby assisting future educators in efficiently grading large volumes of written assignments. By analyzing the strengths and drawbacks of multiple prompt engineering and fine-tuning methods in automating essay evaluations, the study aims to establish a dataflow pipeline for AI-assisted essay grading, with the expectation of generalizing this process to other courses of a similar nature. Additionally, this research proposes recommendations for designing more effective and scalable automated essay assessment systems tailored for contemporary online education platforms.

Overall, this study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the potential of LLMs in transforming the landscape of essay assessment in MOOCs, thereby contributing valuable insights into the optimization of educational technologies in a GAI era.

ABSTRACT. Open Educational Practices (OEP) are supported and implemented differently in the primary and secondary sectors compared to the tertiary sector. This is observable in the types of OER they prefer (ancillary materials compared to textbooks, respectively; Blomgren 2018) and the incentives that have evolved to make open education count (McKinney, 2024). The latest Bayview Analytics Reports (Seaman & Seaman, 2023) also reveal disparities in OER awareness and use; preK12 is becoming more aware but only a third of the population knows they exist compared to two-thirds of higher education faculty. Moreover, differences in governance and funding mechanisms fundamentally impact how materials are adopted and how instructors make choices about the materials they use in their classrooms. These differences complicate how institutions at all levels support and reward instructors who want to engage in OEP and keep these sectors siloed and isolated. However, by continuing to be siloed in practice rather than working together as boundary spanners (Walz & Farley, 2023), the OEP community is missing its greatest potential contributor to pedagogical innovation and creativity. The mutual isolation of these two sectors is a major threat to the sustainability of OEP. Addressing this gap is also important in providing equitable quality education which is a UN Sustainable Development Goal. This presentation will explore and compare the distinctive characteristics of open education at different educational levels in North America. We identify factors that generate or influence these structural barriers and suggest practices and models that can solve the siloing of these two communities. This presentation suggests a framework for how to move forward and is relevant to a variety of stakeholders (education, government, and non-profit) who can act on these recommendations. We end with a brief overview of several projects across these sectors doing critical work as boundary spanners who bridge these gaps in meaningful ways.

Finally, this presentation sets the groundwork for a panel session (also under review) whereby a diverse group of leaders across sectors (primary, secondary, tertiary, government) discuss their work in OEP and propose opportunities in which they could work as boundary spanners to address the sustainability of OEP in collaboration with other educational sectors and partners.

ABSTRACT. The Driving OER Sustainability for Student Success (DOERS) Collaborative was an organization that began in 2018 through a partnership of three higher education systems. The organization’s original goals included facilitation of partnerships among system, state, and consortial open education programs. As of 2024, the DOERS collaborative has built out conversations and deliverables which build organizational excellence through sustainability and infrastructure, advance open education impact through advocacy and demonstrating value, and enhance member capacity through sharing, collaboration, and leadership. Each of these strategic goals help strengthen collaboration and quality education by supporting open as everyone’s business.

This presentation will share the perspectives and experiences of a panel of the 2024 DOERS steering committee as they continue to build on the work accomplished since 2018. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the OER Equity Blueprint, discover how institutions of higher education in the US and Canada have incorporated open practice into retention, promotion and tenure process, and hear how the growing organization has collaboratively enacted strategic planning sessions to build bylaws and enhance organizational structure.

This session will also share out a call for proposals for the DOERS open education research case study collection, describe how DOERS is supporting student success through open practices and microcredentials, and relate how the organization plans to build the leadership capacity of its representatives.

ABSTRACT. As higher education costs rise, Open Educational Resources (OER) are crucial for making education affordable and accessible. OER reduces the financial burden on students by offering sustainable alternatives to expensive textbooks. The success of OER initiatives is heavily dependent on community building, which fosters collaboration, knowledge sharing, and collective growth among educators, students, and institutions.

In Ontario, the Open Library provides free access to high-quality educational resources, reducing costs for students and supporting educators in creating and utilizing OER. Aside from this important function, eCampusOntario’s Open Library also supports and sustains communities for Open Education at scale. As a not-for-profit organization funded by Ontario's Ministry of Colleges and Universities, eCampusOntario serves as a convener for the higher education sector, bringing together educators, librarians, learners, and administrators to promote affordable education through OER. This convening role is vital for building communities at scale, as it leverages collective expertise and resources, fostering a collaborative environment where innovative educational practices can thrive.

The Open Library creates community spaces for educators to share ideas on OER adoption, creation, and policy development. This collaborative approach has led to significant savings for students, with over $26 million reported in the province. As financial support from governments becomes more constrained, the role of community in Open Education becomes even more crucial. Sustaining OER initiatives with limited financial resources requires a collective effort, where community members work together to overcome challenges and promote the widespread adoption of OER.

Community building initiatives supported by eCampusOntario include:

• An open Slack channel for educators to connect, share challenges, and find solutions.
• Webinars and panel discussions that allow educators to share their work in Open Education with a broader audience, fostering cross-institutional collaboration.
• Creation tools that support collaborative efforts.
• Training OER champions positioned in institutions across the province, who are part of a broader network promoting the sharing of OER and best practices.

Additionally, eCampusOntario facilitates numerous events and workshops aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of educators in the province. These events provide opportunities for professional development and encourage the sharing of innovative practices. By offering platforms for continuous learning and engagement, eCampusOntario ensures that the community remains dynamic and responsive to the evolving educational landscape.

Attendees of this presentation will learn how to effectively build and sustain open education communities, the strategies for fostering collaboration, and the impact of OER on affordability in higher education. Sustaining open education is everyone's business, and this presentation will provide actionable insights to ensure the continued success and expansion of OER initiatives.

ABSTRACT. Research concentrating on open education often focuses on the processes of production and storage for open educational resources (OER), methods of learning design and instruction (open-enabled pedagogies), barriers and enablers to practice, or the resulting outcomes for students such as cost savings or achievement. Practitioner-focused research tends toward narrow scope and circumstance and is usually concerned with bounded activities that do not holistically capture the practitioner-in-environment, or explore the localised effects of environment on practice. Engagement with open educational practices (OEP) is predicated on a complex web of inter-connected, and inter-dependant factors and situating the practitioner in an environment of practice – henceforth the Ecology of Open Practice – provides an opportunity to deeply explore the influences (both positive and negative) that affect individual and institutional manifestations of OEP.

This presentation reports on research using a mixed methods approach, administering a quantitative survey and applying initial analysis to qualitative semi-structured interviews with key staff at three case study sites. The resulting thick description from active practitioners, coupled with institutional history, policy, and procedure documentation, learning and teaching practices, and partnerships provides a case site narrative through which the Ecology of Open Educational Practice emerges. The resulting ecological framework provides a rationale for localised practice, and identifies both opportunities and challenges for each site.

Commonality emerged across the case sites, particularly relating to practitioner values as underpinning practice, the degree to which practitioners exhibited open fluency, the mediating effects of support for OEP, the role of policy, and the state of the national higher education landscape as it affects local learning and teaching. The major themes were mapped against Bronfenbrenner’s Ecology of Human Development (1979) to provide a framework for each site.

The approach employed by this research is a transferable framework for understanding OEP, and its strength lies in unearthing contextual factors. The research is situated in the Australia higher education context, yet nothing impedes implementation in other settings or countries. Bronfenbrenner’s work has not previously been applied to OEP, but the outcomes of this research articulate and illustrate its use as a framework for deep inquiry.

Arising from this research is a reinforcement of the inter-connectedness of institutional and national influences on OEP, and the limitations of siloed, isolated initiatives to support OEP. Policy implementation without communication or embedded support, institutional strategy that causes values-based dissonance for practitioners, learning and teaching support mechanisms demarcated – and disconnected - by organisational unit lines, and government-mandated performance-based funding models inconsistent with the values of higher education all emerged as influences present at the institution, yet ineffective and inefficient due to a lack of coherency across institutional teams and stakeholders. Open educational practices – situated within the Ecology – require an acknowledgement of a wider stakeholder base as the effects, support for, and outcomes of OEP permeate the institution.

Ultimately, this research takes the stance that OEP in higher education is ‘everyone’s business’, and provides a framework for authentic engagement with long-term activities to build flourishing ecologies of open practice.

ABSTRACT. Building on the success of North American open practitioners, Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand are rapidly developing their understanding and capacity for open educational practices as key to empowering equitable access to education and enhancing the student learning experience.

A significant outcome of this growth is the development of the open text, Open Education Down UndOER: Australasian Case Studies. The text promotes inclusivity, accessibility, diversity, and equity in open education with an emphasis on sustainability. This session marks the official launch of this critical text, showcasing the open educational practices of academics, information professionals and learning and teaching teams, inspiring educators and institutions to embrace open practices through practical, succinct case studies. In addition, it fosters an open education learning network which will be extended to encompass the audience during this interactive session, as “Open is Everyone’s Business.”

Leveraging a key advantage of OER as an iterative tool, the presenters will prompt, survey and analyse participants’ navigation of the text, eliciting pathfinding patterns, refining keyword tags, and crowdsourcing topics for future case study inclusions. Using a citizen science framework, participants will discuss and reflect on identified case studies drawn from Open Education Down UndOER: Australasian Case Studies as the central learning tool.

The presenters look forward to engaging with the audience and sharing the official interactive launch of Open Education Down UndOER: Australasian Case Studies.

About Open Education Down UndOER: Australasian Case Studies

This text is the result of a strong partnership between two groups: • Australasian Open Educational Practice Special Interest Group (OEP SIG), a community-driven group leading the open education movement in Australasia, and • Open Educational Resources Collective, an initiative led by the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL), leveraging the strength of networks within university libraries in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand.

The text is published on the shared open publishing platform (Pressbooks) managed by CAUL, the peak industry body for university libraries in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. One facet of CAUL’s leadership strategy is to build infrastructure and capacity to move the open education agenda forward at a national and regional level through active communities of practice, evolving guides, events, and an annual open textbook grant program. 

ABSTRACT. This study examines the influence of open discussion practices in preschool classrooms on the development of open-mindedness among preschool learners. Recognizing the formative stage which is deemed important early years of a preschool child. The paper seeks to explore how engagement in open discussions can help to address problem-solving exercises, role play, negotiation strategy, peaceful interaction, cooperation, enhanced classroom management, and cognitive and social attitudes among preschool children. The study adopts a qualitative research methodology, that involves observations and interviews in various preschool settings, focusing on the implementation of open discussion techniques by educators and the corresponding responses from children.

The findings indicate that open discussions in preschool environments significantly contribute to the development of critical thinking skills, empathy, and a sense of curiosity in young learners. These discussions encourage children to express their thoughts freely, engage with diverse viewpoints, and develop a broader understanding of the world around them. The study reveals that such practices not only enhance cognitive skills but also foster social and emotional development, preparing children for a more interconnected and diverse world. Challenges in implementing open discussion practices, such as age-appropriate content moderation and balancing guided learning with exploratory discussions, are also addressed

In conclusion, the study underscores the vital role of open discussions in early childhood education. It advocates for the incorporation of these practices into preschool curricula to nurture open-minded, inquisitive, and empathetic individuals. The findings offer valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and curriculum developers in the field of early childhood education.

ABSTRACT. The healthcare landscape is rapidly evolving, requiring a workforce that is not only clinically skilled but also possesses a strong professional nursing identity. The Professional Nursing Identity Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is a ground-breaking initiative designed to elucidate and reinforce nursing identity among the general public, prospective applicants, and practicing nurses. This session explores the transformative potential of open micro-credentialing through this MOOC, which offers verifiable credentials and promotes inclusive, equitable quality education aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 4.

Misconceptions about nursing, often shaped by media portrayals and public misunderstandings, impact both recruitment and public perceptions of the profession. Addressing these misconceptions is crucial for attracting suitable candidates and ensuring the public appreciates the complexity of nursing roles. The MOOC presents nursing as a multifaceted profession encompassing ethical practice, leadership, empathy, and lifelong learning—qualities frequently overshadowed by clinical aspects.

By integrating free and open micro-credentialing, the MOOC enhances individual professional growth and broadens recognition of nursing competencies across the community. This approach improves visibility of the profession’s core attributes, demystifying nursing and aligning public perception with reality.

This session will detail the collaborative development process of the MOOC, involving expert educators and healthcare professionals who crafted a comprehensive, adaptable curriculum. We will demonstrate the initiative's impact on learners' perceptions and career trajectories through data and testimonials.

Moreover, the presentation will discuss how open educational resources (OER) can revolutionize professional education in traditionally formal fields like healthcare. This MOOC exemplifies how open education extends its reach, fostering collaboration across educational and professional spectra, and providing creative solutions that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Participants, from the general public to healthcare professionals, gain a nuanced understanding of nurses’ roles and the critical skills developed throughout their careers. This knowledge is certified through micro-credentials that validate their learning and development, enhancing professional standing within and outside the healthcare sector.

The course employs interactive teaching methods such as case studies, peer discussions, and reflective exercises, actively engaging learners and ensuring a comprehensive understanding of professional nursing identity. These methods promote critical thinking and self-reflection, helping participants internalize nursing's core values and responsibilities.

In conclusion, this session at OE Global 2024 will not only showcase the innovative use of open micro-credentialing in nursing education but also demonstrate its role in reshaping public understanding of professional identity in nursing. By expanding educational access and promoting accurate understanding of the nursing profession, we can foster a more informed public and a stronger, more reflective nursing workforce. This proposal illustrates how the MOOC addresses widespread misconceptions and enhances the professional identity of nurses, aligning perfectly with the conference theme "Open is Everyone’s Business."

ABSTRACT. Online learning is the de facto reality today. Young people are overwhelmingly using online resources to help them prepare for today’s global challenges, and this trend is irreversible as technological access improves. And this is good, if done well, as research shows that self-led learning online can increase knowledge retention and learning speed, over traditional classroom-based education. Meeting this need, there are increasing new actors working to provide good online open resources.

Unfortunately, another incontrovertible reality today is a 1.5C-changed world (a minimum estimate for future Earth, based on current models). In light of this, increasing OE practice is particularly encouraging in the climate education space where the global need is strongest, both to combat misinformation and to have up-to-date forecasting and impact scenarios available, in order to show “real impact” for those who will experience it most in their lifetimes.

However the climate education space is also where young people’s anxiety is highest – which can be a crippling barrier to effective climate action, now and in the future. Excellent new research on the increasing “climate anxiety” crisis shows that this could actually be one of the biggest barriers we face in securing a liveable planetary future – if tomorrow’s leaders and policymakers cannot learn and maintain a proactive approach, believing in action towards change, we as a species could face unprecedented threats.

Therefore we cannot afford to underestimate the role and responsibility of OERs – in meeting the needs of online learning in a way that focuses support on a positive mindset, even when users are interacting with increasingly doom-laden research and models.

Moreover, publishers and other actors producing new OERs must support not only the young learners browsing independently online but also the educators incorporating OER use in classrooms, curricula and more informal learning spaces. They require education at their own level too – and “educommunication” tools to ensure that their vital role, in introducing unpleasant realities to their young students, is implemented with conviction from a positive mindset of their own, that will transfer to and remain with their classes.

This overview of recent research findings will conclude with a project preview, as a case-study, of a new OER under development – a pilot for a wider educational scheme designed to meet the needs shown in this talk – to be hosted by the award-winning OER platform, Frontiers for Young Minds. [The Q&A section will be allocated a good proportion of the session time / the workshop participation will be] to welcome input and ideas to contribute to and enhance the pilot launch and scheme development beyond.

ABSTRACT. Open Educational Resources (OER) has gained prominence and traction for their potential to transcend geographic, socio-cultural, economic, and educational boundaries, to promote access to high quality education and life-long learning (Mutiku, 2013). The Open Educational Resources movement has been in existence for decades and its expansion presents opportunities to transform and revolutionise education especially in low-resourced settings, such as Kenya. Research has been conducted in the global south (in particular across sub-Saharan Africa) to establish how the adoption of OER could address educational challenges and aspects such as accessibility, relevance quality and affordability (Pete, 2019; Pete, Mulder & Neto, 2017).

However, there is a dearth of evidence on the overall discourse, discussions, and presence of Open Educational Resources and Open Educational Practices in low-resourced contexts such Kenya. This study endeavoured to map the discourse on Open Educational Resources in Kenya, focusing on the extent to which Open Educational Resources as a theme is discussed, written about, and published in Kenya. Furthermore, the study identified who (which stakeholders) are involved in these discussions and in promoting Open Educational Resources discourse in Kenya. This research presents a systematic review of literature, publications, reports, and websites on the discourse of OER in Kenya, reviewing the trends and themes in the Open Educational Resources discourse and which stakeholders have taken prominence in voice and promoting OER to predict its penetration in Kenya and possibility for adoption in different levels of education.

Three analyses approaches were adopted, thematic analysis, frequency analysis and trend analysis. Through a thematic analysis, the study identified the themes and patterns of the OER discourse in Kenya and presents findings of the adoption and usage of OER, stakeholder perceptions of OER, policy and regulatory barriers, enablers for OER in Kenya, success stories and best practices, and the impact this has on educational quality and access in Kenya. Frequency analysis quantified the extent to which the identified themes (from thematic analysis) are discussed in literature and publications. The trend analysis provides a broader overview on how the discourse has evolved over time in Kenya and highlights its opportunities and prospects.

The study further discusses the impact of technology and digital learning in promoting the update and discourse of OER. The findings on OER in Kenya suggest a significant progress on the presence and impact of OER in the country, and highlights several themes, challenges and opportunities for its growth and impact in the education sector.

ABSTRACT. The definition of open educational practices (OEP) is ever changing in the open education community, and recent years has seen this definition shift to encompass pedagogical practices that have less of a focus on OER and focus on advancing social justice in our classroom spaces (Cronin & MacLaren, 2018; Croft & Brown, 2020). However, the discussion falls short when talking about student assessment in a course, and as a result, grading practices often come in direct conflict with the ideals and values that underpin OEP.

Because OEP has a strong focus on student autonomy and empowerment, it results in a shift in the traditional relationship between student and instructor, usually with a focus on knowledge creation, but we would argue that shift can and does occur when employing collaborative grading practices (ungrading) where students have input and can discuss their learning and the resulting grade in the course with the instructor. Students themselves have a much better sense of the work they have put into a course and as a result, a much better sense of their learning in a course. Traditional grading systems have been shown to not be reliable when measuring student learning and to also perpetuate harm on students in the process. Because employing OEP in the classroom requires developing a relationship of trust between instructors and students, those traditional grading practices can and do create conflict.

In addition, traditional grading practices can expand the equity gap, disproportionally harming students that come from underserved populations. As a basic example, simple averaging of grades across a term will favor students that were better prepared at the beginning for the course in question, despite students being at the same point at the end of the term. There is no room in this system to account for the differences in the learning gains. Here, we argue that collaborative grading practices seek to advance representational justice (Lambert, 2018), giving students power and voice to their own experiences in the classroom, and taking into consideration their experiences outside of the classroom as well.

In this session, two practitioners of ungrading will speak to their journeys in adopting alternative assessment in their courses, one who came to it through the lens of open pedagogy and creating OER with her students, and one who arrived at it from an equity standpoint, without OER as an impetus. Together, we will argue that because collaborative grading practices challenge traditional teaching practices and are rooted in constructivist and connectivist pedagogies, it should be considered an open educational practice, decoupled from the creation of OER.

ABSTRACT. Although micro-credentials are gaining traction in higher education, more particularly for students who want short, practical, and up-to-date courses for upskilling themselves, there is an ongoing challenge regarding the recognition of micro-credentials by various stakeholders. This has an implication on the portability of micro-credentials should a student wish to transfer or translate credentials from one context to another (Chakroun & Keevy, 2018). Literature shows that some higher education institutions prefer to stake their own micro-credentials to make up a macro-credential or qualification, while others at the least, offer micro-credentials as a pre-cursor course for students looking to enter a diploma or a degree (Varadarajan, Koh & Daniel, 2023).

The portability of courses and credit transfer between contexts (institutions) is not a new issue for South Africa thus, the micro-credentials are increasing this complexity. The Council of Higher Education (CHE) acknowledges that the development of a micro-credentialing policy and strategy is at its infancy but in the meantime, entrusts institutional structures with the micro-credentials’ quality assurance and integrity. The CHE allows firstly, that credit bearing modules that are part of a formal qualification but that are taken for non-degree purposes (NDP) can be recognised as micro-credentials in formal qualifications through Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) mechanisms. Secondly, micro-credentials can be recognised through their inclusion in an assessed portfolio of evidence for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for access and/or advanced standing into formal qualifications (CHE Communiqué 2 of 2023, p. 2).

In this paper, I describe how the principles of social justice have informed the design of the Postgraduate Diploma in Blended and Online Learning Design (BOLD). As a means of advancing social justice imperatives, at the university of Cape Town, we are piloting both approaches: using micro-credentials for CAT and RPL. The BOLD PGDip development team has developed the programme (with four 30 credit clusters comprising three 10 credit courses each = 120 credits), which is at the final stages of the accreditation process. As a means of widening access to the courses for lifelong learning, each of the 10 credit courses will be offered for NDP, as short courses to anyone (with a learning design mandate) who wishes to upskill themselves, but should one decide to pursue the PGDip at a later stage, they will be allowed to use these credentials for CAT – this can be up to 50% of the PGDip only. One of short courses, Designing with Artificial Intelligence is being piloted in 2024. At the same time, to enhance access and inclusion, those who do not meet the PGDip entry requirements through their formal qualifications but have relevant work experience, we will use RPL to consolidate their informal learning. In addition to that, they will have to take a short course packaged by the team. This will also be showcased to the participants.

ABSTRACT. In recent years, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) has made significant strides in ensuring that its Open Educational Resources (OERs) are accessible to all learners. This presentation outlines our efforts, challenges, and strategies in addressing accessibility within our OER publishing workflows. We will also touch upon the next steps we plan to take to further enhance accessibility of our publications.

In 2022, KPU Open collaborated with a co-op student to develop an accessibility rubric aligned with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The goal was to evaluate the accessibility of KPU's Pressbooks catalogue, which hosts a diverse range of OERs. The rubric served as a critical tool for assessing various aspects of accessibility, including text structure, alt text, multimedia content, and layout design.

The student meticulously evaluated 29 OERs using the newly created rubric. Unfortunately, the results revealed several common accessibility gaps: - Heading Structure: Many OERs lacked a consistent and well-organized heading structure, making it challenging for users to navigate content effectively. - Text Emphasis: Overreliance on bold or italicized text for conveying meaning led to inconsistencies and hindered comprehension. - Alt Text Mismatch: Images often had alt text that did not accurately describe their content, limiting accessibility for visually impaired users. - Tables and Captions: Some OERs contained layout tables without proper headers, and videos featured auto-generated, unedited captions.

Across the 29 books assessed, the accessible design success ranged from intermittent (level 1) to marginal (level 2)

Following the assessment, KPU's Open Publishing Suite (OPUS) implemented several measures to enhance OER accessibility: - Accessibility Statement: KPU created a clear and explicit accessibility statement for its website, emphasizing the importance of OER accessibility. - Student Assistant Training: Open Education Student Assistants now receive training in accessibility standards along with the rest of their training. Equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills, they contribute to making OERs more accessible during the creation process by being able to spot and fix accessibility issues immediately when doing the initial conversion. - OER Grant Application: The grant application process now includes a question specifically asking how applicants plan to address accessibility in their OER projects. This proactive step encourages thoughtful consideration of accessibility from the outset. - Project Agreements: OPUS revised its Project Agreements with OER Grant recipients, explicitly discussing common accessibility pitfalls identified during the assessment. This ensures that creators are aware of potential issues and can plan accordingly. - Pre-Publication Accessibility Review: An accessibility review is now part of the pre-publication checklist. By catching any oversights early, KPU aims to minimize accessibility gaps in its OERs.

KPU's commitment to accessibility extends beyond compliance—it reflects a dedication to equitable learning experiences. As the university continues to refine its OER publishing workflows, it remains steadfast in its mission to make education accessible to all.