2026 Open Education Conference

2026 Open Education Conference

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4:00pm EDT

A Brave Choice: Zero-Textbook Cost at CCA or You’re Already Doing the Work

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

In unveiling the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan for the Division of Academic Success as CCA, we were presented with 5 “Brave Choices” or goals to focus on. The first Brave Choice is to “embrace ZTC pathways in our top 10 transfer programs and in our 15 highest-enrollment gateway courses.” This seemed like a formidable ask, until we ran the numbers. Sifting through the data, we discovered that CCA a) already has ZTC pathways for 3 degrees, b) we’re making good progress on all the degrees impacted by this goal, and c) 10 out of 15 of the highest-enrolled GT courses are OER! This lightning talk describes the ways the OER team at CCA gathered, sorted through, and distributed this data, showing attendees how they can do the same at their institutions to visualize the progress toward their Open goals.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Participants will.
Understand how their institutions are already building Zero-Textbook Cost pathways.
Understand what data to gather when tracking goals related to Open.
Leave inspired to run the numbers and track their own Open progress.

Speakers

Allyson Perry-Turner

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Amplifying Open at the Intersection of Science and Education

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This lightning talk will introduce the Open Education Ecosystems Research Coordination Network (OEE-RCN) and highlight our work at the intersection of open science and open education. We are a diverse community of open science service providers, education reform projects, professional communities, open education specialists, and teaching faculty. The integration of open science resources (data, protocols, tools, collaborative spaces, publications) with open education practices has the potential to transform undergraduate STEM education. The goals of this project include surveying the landscape at the intersection of open science and open education to highlight emerging opportunities and identify barriers to adoption. We are currently seeking partnerships with projects, organizations, and individuals interested in joining the conversation to catalyze adoption of open practices in science classrooms. https://oee.qubeshub.org

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Gain familiarity with the Open Education Ecosystem project.
Find additional information about how to collaborate with the OEE-RCN.
Recognize some of the opportunities and challenges associated with working to integrate open science and education.

Speakers

Sam Donovan

Drew LaMar

Deborah Rook

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Connecting the Dots: Expanding the reach of open education to wider audiences.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education, Community & Technical Colleges

4:00pm EDT

Between Us: Open Educational Practices as a Bridge Between Classrooms and Families

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Open education is often discussed in terms of cost and access, but its greatest impact may be relational. This session explores how open educational practices can bridge the space between classrooms and families by fostering transparency, accessibility, and shared ownership of learning. Across K–12 settings, educators can use openly licensed resources, adaptable learning tools, and transparent communication practices to strengthen family partnerships and reduce barriers to engagement. Participants will explore practical, scalable strategies for making learning more inclusive and collaborative beyond the school day. Whether you are new to open education or looking to deepen your practice, this session will offer concrete ideas for connecting school and home through openness.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Articulate how open educational practices extend beyond affordability to support relational equity between classrooms and families.
Identify common barriers that limit family engagement and explain how open practices can reduce those barriers across K–12 contexts.
Apply a three-pillar framework (transparency, accessibility, partnership) to evaluate or redesign their own instructional practices.
Design at least one adaptable, openly shared strategy to strengthen family-school connections in their educational setting.
Critically reflect on the opportunities and challenges of implementing open practices in diverse educational environments.

Speakers

Lauren Moore

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Us: Exploring how open values and practices can improve the educational experience for all learners.
Region United States
Level Beginner
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education

4:00pm EDT

Beyond “Yes-Man” AI: Solving Spatial Scarcity & Algorithmic Bias for Marginalized Learners in India

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

While Open Education (OE) focuses on digital access, it often ignores the physical and cognitive realities of learners in the Global South. This session presents a case study from the PragatiSankalp India Foundation in Nashik, Maharashtra, addressing two barriers: "Spatial Scarcity" and "Algorithmic Sycophancy."

Grounded in Ambedkarite philosophy, we share findings from socio-economic surveys of 600+ residents in Bhim Nagar. We identify how high-density housing creates a physical barrier to learning, solved by our "Bodh Saksham Study Hall"—a physical open-infrastructure hub.

We also tackle the cognitive risk of AI in OE. We demonstrate how AI "sycophancy", the tendency for models to prioritize agreement over truth, harms first-generation learners. We propose "Intentional Role Prompting" as a pedagogical tool to turn AI from a "yes-man" into a constructive mentor. Attendees will learn a scalable model for bridging the gap between digital openness and physical/ethical access.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Define "Spatial Scarcity" and identify it as a critical barrier to the use of Open Educational Resources in high-density urban environments.
Apply "Intentional Role Prompting" techniques to mitigate AI sycophancy and encourage critical thinking in student-AI interactions.
Describe the "Open Infrastructure" model for community learning centers that combine physical safety with ethical digital guardrails.
Utilize localized socio-economic data to advocate for interdisciplinary safety standards in open education.

Speakers

Saili Sonawane

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Beyond Borders: Exploring open education projects and perspectives from outside the US and Canada.
Region Asia
Level Intermediate
Education Level Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

Beyond Anecdotes: Building a Data Dashboard for Open Education Initiatives

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Last year, Texas A&M University Libraries' OpenEd department launched a data dashboard to track, visualize, and communicate the impact of our OER initiatives across campus. This lightning talk will showcase how the dashboard aggregates data on course adoptions, student savings, and enrollment figures to tell a compelling story about open education's value. We'll share the technical approach, data sources, design decisions, and lessons learned from developing this public-facing tool. Attendees will see real examples of how quantitative evidence can support OER advocacy, demonstrate institutional commitment, and identify growth opportunities. Whether you're just starting to track OER impact or looking to enhance existing assessment practices, this lightning talk will provide practical insights into making your open education data work harder for your program, and how transparent reporting can build stakeholder trust and support for continued investment in open education initiatives.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Identify data points that effectively communicate the impact of your open education initiatives to various stakeholders.
Explain how transparent data visualization can support OER advocacy and institutional buy-in.
Apply lessons learned from Texas A&M University's experience to enhance your own institution's impact assessment practices.

Speakers

Lindsey Todorovich

Open Education Librarian, Texas A&M University

Lindsey Todorovich works as an Open Education Librarian at Texas A&M University, where she manages the OpenEd department’s data dashboard. Her work supports evidence-based decision making, strategic outreach initiatives, and efforts to advance course affordability across campus... Read More →

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Bridging Access and Practice: Designing a Fully OER Course for Real-World Impact

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

What does it take to move from the idea of open education to meaningful, accessible practice? This lightning talk shares the design and implementation of a fully OER undergraduate course built to meet the needs of a diverse student population requiring free, virtual, and accessible materials. Drawing from a curated collection of open resources and high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), the course not only removed cost barriers but also introduced students to a range of tools they can access in their future classrooms.

This session explores the intentional decisions behind selecting, organizing, and integrating OER and HQIM to bridge the space between access and application. Attendees will gain insight into how exposure to multiple high-quality, openly available resources can empower future educators to make informed, equitable instructional choices.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Describe key considerations when designing a fully OER course for accessibility and equity.
Identify strategies for integrating multiple HQIM within an OER framework.
Explain how exposure to diverse open resources supports pre-service teacher development.
Apply practical approaches to bridging the gap between open access and instructional practice.

Speakers

Sarah Straub

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region United States
Level Beginner
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education, Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Bridging the Gap Between Learning and Contributing: Women in Open Knowledge

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This session shares a grassroots initiative in Indonesia that empowers women to move from learning to contributing in open knowledge platforms. Through the SheSaid 2025 campaign, participants were introduced to Wikimedia projects such as Wikiquote and Wikimedia Commons, as well as basic Creative Commons licensing. Through hands-on activities, they created quote posters using openly licensed images and learned to share knowledge responsibly. This session highlights the “space between” learning and active contribution, demonstrating how open education can bridge gaps in participation and representation, particularly for women in digital knowledge spaces. The strategies used in this initiative—combining training, mentorship, and hands-on contribution opportunities—can also be adapted to other open education and community-based learning contexts beyond Wikimedia.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Understand how open education initiatives can empower women in underrepresented communities.
Identify strategies to bridge the gap between learning and active contribution in Wikimedia projects.
Apply basic Creative Commons licensing in creating and sharing open content.
Recognize the impact of community-based programs such as SheSaid in increasing women’s participation in open knowledge.

Speakers

Tri Astari

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Us: Exploring how open values and practices can improve the educational experience for all learners.
Region Asia, Global Focus
Level Beginner
Education Level Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

Bridging the Space Between: Using AI and UDL to Open Access in Higher Education

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

The space between traditional course design and truly open, accessible education is where too many students get lost. This session presents a practical framework for using generative AI through a Universal Design for Learning lens to close that gap — making course materials more flexible, inclusive, and openly adaptable. Drawing on real examples from economics and finance courses at Berklee College of Music, participants will see how AI tools can help faculty move from rigid, one-size-fits-all content toward open educational practices that meet every learner where they are. Three key takeaways: (1) How UDL principles function as a prompting framework for AI-assisted course design; (2) A replicable workflow for creating openly adaptable course materials using AI; (3) Strategies transferable across disciplines and institution types.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Explain how UDL principles function as a framework for open, AI-assisted course design.
Use generative AI to create or adapt course materials that reflect open educational practices.
Identify at least two strategies for moving their own courses toward greater accessibility and openness.

Speakers

Florencia Gabriele

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between the Lines: Examining the intersections and implications of emerging technologies in open education.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education, Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Building a Foundation for an OER Badge

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

The course badge was designed to educate students from San Antonio College about open educational textbooks/resources. After many redesigns, over a span of two years, it has grown to be a badge available for anyone (students, faculty, staff). It is now an advocacy tool to give a foundation component to open educational practices and resources.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Develop a sample course map relating to the course badge.
Describe the process of creating a course badge.
Utilize the badge as a gateway for open advocacy.

Speakers

Beatrice Canales

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Blank Space: Open space for any other open education related topics.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education, Trades and Vocational Training, Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

Co-DREAM OER: An End of Project Update on Innovative STEM Open Resources

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

In 2021, Co-DREAM OER, a multi-institutional project to develop 9 innovative open textbooks and interactive ancillary materials on robotics, mechatronics and advanced manufacturing for the associates, bachelor's and graduate levels, received a $2 million US Department of Education’s Open Textbook grant. In 2026 the project is near completion. This presentation introduces all the works of the project and discusses the critical gaps in STEM OER that they fill. It also discusses the many features that they contain to support the learning needs of all learners, which includes availability in print and online format, ability to be used online and offline, the inclusion of multimedia resources, such as videos, interactive simulations and animations, programming packages, and well as compliance to WCAG 2.1 AA standards. The presentation concludes with a discussion of the first implementation of the books, as well as attempts to build a community who can improve and sustain them over time.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Learn the purpose of the Co-DREAM project and the important gaps in OER that its textbooks fill.
Identify the benefits of new textbooks produced by the project, the types of institutions, courses, and programs they are designed for and the innovative features they contain.
Discover how the accessibility and other features of the books meet the needs of a variety of learners.
Hear about the project's efforts to build a community of users by having a small group of faculty conduct a trial implementation of each textbook.
Describe the educational research being conducted to assess the impact of the textbooks.

Speakers

Yang Wu

Open Resources Librarian, Clemson University Libraries

Yang Wu, Open Resources Librarian at Clemson University, South Carolina is a OER specialist with experience in many types of Open Education activities. He served on several major OER organizations, including the Open Education Network Steering Committee and OpenEd Conference Advisory... Read More →

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Us: Exploring how open values and practices can improve the educational experience for all learners.
Region United States
Level Beginner
Education Level Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Cultivating Open Education in Austria: Designing and Accrediting an OER Training Programme

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This lightening talk examines key competences required for creating Open Educational Resources (OERs). For this, it presents the modular OER training programme at the University of Graz (Austria) and explains how this programme is embedded into the university’s OER strategy.

The OER training programme consists of three components: a self-study course on Moodle, a base module with four webinars, and a qualification module in which participants create and publish three new OERs. Successful completion leads to the certificate “OER Practitioner”, awarded by the Austrian association “Forum for New Media in Teaching Austria”. The accredited pedagogical concept is openly accessible on the University of Graz OER repository.

The talk argues that such structured professional development programmes are crucial for enabling teachers to implement Open Education sustainably in their teaching and it seeks to inspire participants to reflect on and further develop their own OER skills.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

… explain the value of OER competences (such as copyright expertise, quality assurance, pedagogical design) for higher education institutions and their teachers.
… understand the structure and components of the modular OER training programme and consider how it could be adapted or transferred into their own institutional contexts.
… reflect on their own OER competences and the relevance for their teaching.

Speakers

Nadine Linschinger

Kristina Neuboeck

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Beyond Borders: Exploring open education projects and perspectives from outside the US and Canada.
Region Europe
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Curating the Space Between: Student-Created Virtual Galleries Using OER

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

In this presentation, I will explore how student-created virtual galleries can occupy the “space between” access and creation in Art and Art History education. Using Open Educational Resources (OER), students move beyond passive viewing to become curators, interpreters, and creators of visual culture, a more active space where we want students to be. Students will also learn how to see and understand broader visual culture as well.

During this session, participants will learn how to facilitate an environment where they move beyond their typical role as a passive observer to actively design virtual exhibitions that explore narratives, construct themes, or challenge traditional art and cultural narratives. Students will use OER materials for this project, including open source images and virtual presentation platforms. The resulting virtual galleries exist in the “space between” the museum and the classroom and the student and the curator.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Create adaptable project ideas that promote student agency, equitable access to art, and multifaceted engagement with Art, Art History, and Visual Culture.
Construct and share OER materials based on designing virtual gallery exhibitions where students can become curators.
Develop multiple ways in which students can move from passive observers to active participants in the art world.
Apply strategies for guiding students in selecting, interpreting, and contextualizing artworks within a thematic exhibition.
Integrate digital tools (e.g., website builders or virtual exhibit platforms) to facilitate accessible and engaging student exhibitions.

Speakers

Gianna LoScerbo-Starkus

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region United States
Level Beginner
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education

4:00pm EDT

Designing an Open Tutorial for Accessible Lecture Capture Using Embedded Audio Description

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This session presents the design, pilot testing, and dissemination of an open tutorial that trains faculty to integrate embedded audio description (AD) into lecture capture videos. Grounded in digital accessibility and universal design principles, the tutorial positions AD as an extension of existing teaching and recording practices rather than an added burden. Beyond improving accessibility for learners with disabilities, the session argues that targeted training in accessible multimedia production can substantially enhance the overall quality, clarity, and usability of OER video content. Data from a pre–post study—including survey outcomes and think-aloud reflections—will illustrate changes in faculty knowledge, self-efficacy, and implementation intentions. The tutorial will be released as a Creative Commons–licensed OER, enabling broad reuse and adaptation.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Describe the role of embedded audio description in enhancing accessibility of lecture capture videos.
Explain how accessible multimedia practices can improve the overall quality of OER artifacts.

Speakers

Audra Anjum

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between the Lines: Examining the intersections and implications of emerging technologies in open education.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education, Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education, Community & Technical Colleges, Trades and Vocational Training, Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

Do Open Textbook Grants Reach Students Who Need Them Most?

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Do Open Textbook Grants Reach Students Who Need Them Most?

This session presents the first cross-institutional evaluation of the U.S. Open Textbooks Pilot (OTP) program, examining whether federal OER investments translate into measurable student outcomes and reach the highest-need institutions. Using College Scorecard, IPEDS, and American Community Survey data, we employ propensity score matching, panel difference-in-differences, event-study diagnostics, and empirical-Bayes benchmarking to compare 12 OTP grantees against matched controls. Results show a significant 6.9 percentage-point completion rate increase at four-year grantees (p = .044), with null debt effects. However, the grantee pool is concentrated in the four-year sector with a mean Pell rate below the national median, revealing a persistent gap between federal investment and realized equity impact -- the space between policy intent and student benefit.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Explain the difference between course-level OER evidence and institution-level OER policy evaluation.
Describe how matched comparison and panel methods can be used to study open education initiatives.
Identify the main findings of this evaluation of the Open Textbooks Pilot program.
Assess how competitive grant design may shape who benefits from open education funding.
Consider policy and implementation strategies for making OER investment more equitable.

Speakers

Irakli Matcharashvili

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education, Community & Technical Colleges

4:00pm EDT

Don’t I Know You?: Re-Designing Open Programming for the Space Between

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Open Education programming often favors the familiar, but curiosity and connection can take us somewhere meaningful and new.

This talk explores what happens when we treat programming not as event planning, but as relationship-building. It highlights how curiosity, informal conversations, and community feedback can lead to more inclusive and responsive programming. I’ll share two experimental formats shaped by this philosophy: 1) From the Field, and 2) Open Exchange – both designed to create space for dialogue, not just delivery.

Working in “the space between” means making room for new perspectives, unexpected connections, and the kind of conversations that don’t always fit neatly into a traditional webinar format, but matter just the same. This is an invitation to consider not just what we share, but who we make space for, how we design it, and who we might become as a result.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Reframe programming as relationship-building, understanding how curiosity, informal conversations, and community feedback can guide more responsive and inclusive programming.
Apply design strategies for dialogue, recognizing how experimental formats, like unrecorded peer discussions, can create safe spaces for candid conversations and richer engagement.
Explore how intentionally designing for connection and new perspectives can enhance the impact of Open Education efforts.

Speakers

Heather Blicher

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region United States, Global Focus
Level Intermediate
Education Level Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education, Trades and Vocational Training, Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

Embedding Openness and Flexibility for Adaptive Schooling in K-12 Education: Pathways & Constraints

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Openness and flexibility remain insufficiently integrated in mainstream K–12 education, even though several of their elements are already visible in fragmented forms. This session examines how principles and practices of open education may be meaningfully integrated into school education, while also recognizing the pedagogical, structural, and administrative constraints that shape such possibilities. Situated in the Indian context, the session draws on a systematic literature review and findings from a learner perception survey to explore how openness and flexibility may support more inclusive, adaptive, and continuity-oriented schooling. It further considers which dimensions of openness are already present in school education, which may be meaningfully integrated, and which continue to remain constrained within existing systems. In doing so, the session moves beyond advocacy for flexibility to examine its practical usefulness, perceived value, and systemic limits in school education.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Participants will develop a clearer understanding of openness and flexibility in K–12 education and how these relate to open schooling, conventional schooling, and other educational modalities.
Participants will identify existing school practices and structures that reflect elements of openness in partial or fragmented forms, such as flexible pathways, inclusive design, and learner-centred approaches.
Participants will gain insight into how findings from the systematic literature review and learner perception survey inform the possibilities of greater openness and flexibility in K–12 schooling.
Participants will critically reflect on the pedagogical, structural, administrative, and policy-related challenges involved in integrating openness and flexibility into mainstream school education.
Participants will identify possible pathways through which openness, flexibility, and technology-enabled practices may support more adaptive and continuity-oriented K–12 education.

Speakers

RIKISHA BHAUMIK

ANITA PRIYADARSHINI

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region Asia
Level Intermediate
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education

4:00pm EDT

Expanding Education: Narrative Role-Playing Games and Open Education Resources

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Despite growing interest in game‑based learning and the rising cultural popularity of role‑playing games (RPGs), most narrative RPG materials remain commercially produced and sold, making them difficult to license and adapt for educational use. As a result, educators and education researchers interested in narrative roleplay often rely on purchased systems, create their own materials from scratch, or attempt to adapt the limited number of existing RPG‑focused OERs, many of which may not suit their specific teaching contexts or learner needs. This lightning talk briefly highlights the unique capacity of narrative roleplay to foster intrinsic motivation, agency, and engagement across age groups. The session then explores existing RPG OERs and research‑informed entry points that educators can use to navigate this emerging area of open, narrative‑driven pedagogy, and, if inspired, contribute to the development of new, openly shared narrative RPG tools.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Define key components of game-based learning, including distinctions between gamification, game-based learning, and gameful learning, and describe how these approaches differ in goals and implementation.
Articulate the pedagogical promise of narrative role-playing games, particularly their capacity to support learner motivation, agency, collective meaning-making, and engagement with complex ideas through storytelling and play.
Identify existing open educational resources related to narrative RPGs, as well as gaps in current literature and resource availability, in order to imagine how their own teaching, research, or open education work might contribute to this emerging area.

Speakers

Alexandria Poppendorf

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Us: Exploring how open values and practices can improve the educational experience for all learners.
Region Canada
Level Beginner
Education Level Informal Learning/Other, Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education, Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education, Trades and Vocational Training

4:00pm EDT

From Classroom to Community: Discover the Importance of Open Education in Public Health Training

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This session is about analyzing how open education can help connect what medical students learn about health in their medical school to what actually happens in real communities by highlighting how open-access resources, peer learning, and digital platforms can enhance public health training and empower students to apply their knowledge beyond the classroom.

The presentation will discuss practical strategies for integrating open educational practices into public health education, including student-led community awareness initiatives, and how to use freely available learning materials. However, it will also address challenges such as limited access to structured resources, variability in community engagement, and the need for culturally appropriate content.

People who attend this session will learn how open education can make public health training practical, accessible, and focused on the community especially in places where resources are limited.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

1- Explain how open education will be able to facilitate the transfer of health knowledge from academic education to community-based public health programs.
2- List some open education materials and technologies being used in the field of public health that may serve them well.
3- Inform them about the responsibility of students in facilitating community-based health educational programs.
4- Identify obstacles that may hinder them while implementing open education in the field of public health.
5- Utilize methods by which they can incorporate open education in their public health education and practice.

Speakers

Zulal Ali

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA), Global Focus
Level Beginner
Education Level Higher Education, Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

From Here to There Together: Building Institutional Pathways to Barrier-Free Curriculum Resources

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

By 2030, Deakin Library aspires for all students to have barrier-free access to essential curriculum resources. But our institutional systems, policies and practices weren’t designed with that goal in mind.

Historically, curriculum resource provision has been shaped without sufficient consideration of affordability and access. Cost, licensing, rights management, and the opportunities open resources afford student-centred learning are not consistently factored into resource choice. Open Education is identified in institutional strategy, yet efforts remain fragmented and not fully integrated into curriculum governance.

Policy change in 2025 prioritised barrier-free curriculum resources in curriculum design and delivery, marking a significant shift for the organisation. This prompted Deakin Library to assess current barriers and deliver a multi-year institutional roadmap for implementation to achieve our ‘barrier-free’ vision.

This lightning talk outlines our approach and key findings.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Identify how libraries can effectively frame current state challenges in ways their institutions can understand and engage with.
Apply road-mapping as a strategic tool to translate ambitious access and affordability goals into achievable institutional actions.
Articulate the strategic value of OER as a sustainable, institution wide investment rather than a siloed initiative.

Speakers

Meg Ivory

Danielle Johnson

Skye Ryan

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region Oceania
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

From Vision to Impact: A Change Approach Toward Accessible Digital Educational Resources

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

At HAN University of Applied Sciences, we are building an ecosystem that gives students and educators easy access to high‑quality learning resources, open, semi‑open, and commercial, to create an optimal mix for teaching and learning. We believe education should be accessible, reliable, and inclusive, and that public resources should be used wisely through sharing and reuse.

Rather than treating openness as a separate goal, HAN embeds Open Educational Resources (OER) into everyday practice through an institution‑wide strategy. This approach is built on five pillars: hands‑on support through a Content Support Team; professional development to strengthen OER competencies; recognition and rewards for open educational practices; structured change management at faculty level; and a robust technical infrastructure centered on a single institutional repository. Together, these pillars enable sustainable adoption of openness at scale.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Explain HANs five-pillar institutional approach and how these pillars collectively enable sustainable OER adoption.
Identify practical strategies for supporting educators in combining open, semi-open, and licensed resources into coherent, high-quality learning materials.
Evaluate the role of recognition and rewards in increasing faculty engagement with OER and understand how to implement similar incentives in their organizations.
Adapt governance and change-management practices that support cultural and structural shifts toward open and blended resource use.

Speakers

Marja Versantvoort

Projectmanager HAN approach Digital Educational Resources, HAN University of Applied Sciences

Master’s in EducationIn 2016, Marja led a five-year national flagship project. This was a collaboration among 17 Dutch bachelor’s programs in Nursing, aimed at creating a community centered on the open sharing and collaborative development of educational resources. Following that... Read More →

Marijn Post

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Beyond Borders: Exploring open education projects and perspectives from outside the US and Canada.
Region Europe
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Generating Reach by Embedding OER in Volunteer Formats for Sustainable Marketing Programs

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Open Educational Resources (OER) are promoted in different ways around the world. In the US, this work is often called “OER advocacy,” while in South Africa the Open Education Influencers MOOC (https://oe4bw.org/project/open-education-influencer/) is a notable example.

This lightning talk shares how the University of Innsbruck is reaching a wider audience:

* OER practitioners talked about the creation and the publication of their projects in The JOERney@UIBK: Experience Talks (https://oerworldmap.org/resource/urn:uuid:75e1c2a7-8540-4ff2-b2c6-04b2f23b3cda?language=en).

* The Aqua MOOC, a 2021 citizen science MOOC on water communities, was presented at a local district club. Volunteers from Computerias and libraries were invited.

The findings from this talk may inspire attendees of the lightning talk to leverage local venues, themselves; using a single, high-interest MOOC or resource, other OER and the OER repositories can be cross-promoted to potential re-users and interested people.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

…find connections between marketing OER at their institutions and involving local volunteers in the dissemination of information about OER.
…think outside "the box", aka their institutional limits, and reach for a wider audience.
…generate new leads for their OER practitioners to create OER for and broadening their understanding or who their ideal audience might include.
…gain an understanding for the value of “old” OER and the sustainability efforts included in the production and the active advertising of a MOOC with so-called "ever-green contents" that is intended for a "long run".

Speakers

Evelyn Feistmantl-Schweigl

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Connecting the Dots: Expanding the reach of open education to wider audiences.
Region Europe
Level Beginner
Education Level Higher Education, Community & Technical Colleges, Trades and Vocational Training, Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

Harnessing OER to Support Production and Provision of Juvenile Titles in Underserved Languages

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Imagine a world where you grow up never having enough to read. This is the reality for many children who speak minority or indigenous languages (hereafter “underserved languages”). The scarcity of juvenile titles (fiction, non-fiction, videos, games, audio books, etc.) in their own languages is a persistent barrier to learning. We invite collaborators to a research group with the goal of building and expanding processes for creators—writers, editors, illustrators, and translators—who can benefit from networking and professional development and learning to use Creative Commons licensing and other OA policies and practices. We wish to amplify collaborative efforts by creators to increase available titles in underserved languages. Our central goals are to establish a design for a replicable, democratic, and participatory multilingual collaborative and to analyze the design process. We will share a pilot that we have conducted in 2026 with speakers of Yoruba and Burmese in Indiana, USA.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Participants will gain specific knowledge about the gaps in access to literacy and learning materials for learners who speak underserved languages around the world.
Participants will learn about storytelling and story creation efforts in Indiana that we have begun with Yoruba and Burmese speakers.
Participants will be invited to join scholarly and practical efforts to share practices and ideas for developing and providing juvenile titles in underserved languages in areas that are of concern to them.

Speakers

Beth Samuelson

Comfort Durojaiye

Myat Kaung

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Beyond Borders: Exploring open education projects and perspectives from outside the US and Canada.
Region Africa, Asia
Level Beginner
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education, Higher Education, Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

How Students Perceive Open Education: A Pre- and Post-Course Analysis

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

How do students perceive Open Education before and after completing a course dedicated to open education? This session presents findings from a mixed-methods study involving undergraduate students enrolled in an open education-focused course at a Canadian university. Using pre- and post-course surveys, student reflection assignments, and follow-up interviews, the study examines changes in student attitudes, awareness, and willingness to engage with Open Educational Practices (OEP). The session highlights key patterns in student experiences and evolving perspectives on open education. Attendees will gain practical strategies to support student engagement and consider how open practices can enhance the student learning experience.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Describe how student perceptions of open education can shift through participation in a course dedicated to open education.
Identify key factors that shape student engagement with Open Educational Practices (OEP).
Recognize how surveys, reflection assignments, and interviews can be used to examine changes in student attitudes and experiences.
Apply practical strategies to support student engagement in open educational practices and open sharing.
Reflect on how student perspectives can inform open course design and teaching practice.

Speakers

Brandon Carson

Sessional Instructor and Research Associate, Ontario Tech University

Brandon Carson is an open education scholar-practitioner whose work sits at the intersection of teaching and learning, educational technology, and higher education change. With more than 17 years of experience in the post-secondary sector, Brandon has supported initiatives related... Read More →

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Us: Exploring how open values and practices can improve the educational experience for all learners.
Region Canada
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Individuals & Institutions: The Structure of Change and the Open Education Network

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

In this presentation, Robin DeRosa, Executive Director of the Open Education Network, will explore the theory of change that undergirds the OEN. In a community that focuses its activities on the grassroots work of educators (including faculty, librarians, instructional designers, technologists, and other support staff), the OEN’s membership structure centers around institutions and consortia. What is the relationship between individuals who engage with open practices and the systems that contain, support, and sometimes thwart them? How can organizations that leverage open education to make change respond to the needs of learners and teachers while building support from the surrounding educational systems that don’t always center those needs? Hear about the rationales, hopes, and tensions that animate the OEN’s model, and the current ways we are envisioning our role in advancing open education and building a more equitable future for higher education.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Reflect on the tensions and synergies between individual practice and systemic support in the open education movement.
Articulate reasons why both grassroots practice and institutional commitment are key sustainable and impactful open education progress.
Understand the approach of the Open Education Network, and how it leverages institutional commitment to make structural change in higher education.

Speakers

Robin DeRosa

Executive Director, Open Education Network

Dr. Robin DeRosa is an educator and community leader who has served in many roles over the span of her career. She has been a middle school theater teacher, a high school literature and writing teacher, and a college professor of both English and Interdisciplinary Studies. She has... Read More →

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region United States, Canada, Europe, Oceania
Level Intermediate
Education Level Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education, Trades and Vocational Training

4:00pm EDT

Making It Local, OER in Papua New Guinea a Localisation and Expansion Case Study

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Many communities in low resource areas could benefit from access to the content available in OER materials if only they were able to access them. While this content is technically free the act of connecting to the internet and downloading it still presents a barrier in terms of economics and infrastructure in many parts of the world. Offline servers filled with OER are part of the solution to fill that gap. A large variety of groups work to collate materials and create servers with localized wi-fi networks that will work in low resource environments.

This talk focuses on a new partnership between the distributors of one offline server and the government of a low-income country. Following their progress to design a localized build that encompasses the required curriculum and local language needs as well as distribute their devices in one of the most geographically challenging environments in the world.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Greater understanding of partnerships between volunteers, NGO’s and Government bodies.
Describe and reproduce the steps for localization of OER content.
Describe and reproduce the steps for distributing OER servers.

Speakers

Katherine Huth

Griffith University

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Connecting the Dots: Expanding the reach of open education to wider audiences.
Region Global Focus, Oceania
Level Intermediate
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education, Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

Mapping OER to State Numbering Systems

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This session focuses on finding ways to reduce the cognitive load for faculty, and faculty supporters, interested in adopting OER for the general education courses in Texas, with potential replicability for other states. This is done through the overview of the following resources:

* Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS),

* Academic Lower Divison Guide for Texas Higher Education courses,

* Open Educational Resources, and

* University specific course numbering systems

The overview is followed by an exploration of how these systems work together to create an articulated interface, the Core to Open tool, that facilitates quick and wasy to understand OER discovery for faculty and faculty support providers. The presentation wil conclude with a demonstration on how to use the Core to Open tool itself. From investigation to deliverable, the process emphasizes learning, making connections, and supporting iterative design.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Explain the relationship between course numbering systems, course learning objectives, and OER – as well as how this could be replicated for their state or system.
Choose a relevant gen ed course and navigate to OER for that course.

Speakers

Isabelle Antes

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Open Ed Practices as a Compass: Building Cognitive Resilience Against AI-Mediated Disinformation

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

As AI tools become foundational to education practices, we must examine how they interact with information, specifically distinguishing between misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. This session explores the role of open education fundamentals in fostering cognitive sovereignty within the "infocracy," a regime where automated data and algorithmic narratives define the information landscape and where we propose cognitive resilience. We present the proposal of a matrix of ethical AI literacy that utilizes open principles (transparency, collaboration, and reuse) as a compass for navigating this landscape. This proposed framework aims to enable learners to move from passive information consumption to actively engaging in contemplative-reflexive narratives, ensuring that "open" serves as a framework for epistemic justice and ontological openness by introducing intentionality in human-in-the-loop supervision.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Distinguish between misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation within an AI-mediated informal learning context;.
Identify how "cognitive offloading" (the outsourcing of thinking to AI) impacts learner agency and the ability to construct personal narratives;.
Apply open education principles (specifically transparency of provenance and collaborative review) as ethical defenses against algorithmic bias, data opacity, and the lack of interpretability in automated systems;.
Evaluate the role of "human-in-the-loop" intentionality as a mechanism for maintaining narrative agency and resisting algorithmic narratives in the infocracy.

Speakers

Laura Santana

Marcos Mucheroni

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Beyond Borders: Exploring open education projects and perspectives from outside the US and Canada.
Region Latin America & the Caribbean
Level Intermediate
Education Level Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

Performing Open: Theatre, Zines, and Pedagogy in the Space Between

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Performing arts classrooms are inherently collaborative, adaptive, and co-creative; however, they are rarely framed as sites of open pedagogy. This session argues that theatre and performance-based disciplines do not simply accommodate open practices; they embody them.

Drawing on the idea of open pedagogy as participatory and learner-driven, this presentation repositions performance as open knowledge-making. Students interpret, remix, and co-create meaning for audiences, aligning closely with open values.

Using a student-created zine project as a case study, this session explores how ephemeral performance can become tangible, shareable artifacts. Central to this work is student agency and consent: learners choose if and how their work is shared.

Attendees will gain a framework for designing open, participatory learning in creative and performance-based classrooms.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Articulate how core elements of performance (collaboration, interpretation, audience engagement) align with open pedagogy principles.
Analyze the role of student agency and consent in ethical open educational practices.
Evaluate the opportunities and tensions of applying open pedagogy within embodied and arts-based classrooms.
Consider assignments that position students as co-creators of knowledge in creative or non-traditional formats.

Speakers

Bethany Mickel

Instructional Design & OER Librarian, University of Virginia

Bethany Mickel is the Instructional Design & OER Librarian at the University of Virginia, facilitating open education initiatives and collaborating with faculty, staff, and students on open projects. She partners with librarians and faculty to embed pedagogical design and create information... Read More →

Amy Hunsaker

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Us: Exploring how open values and practices can improve the educational experience for all learners.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education, Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Reducing Students’ Psychological Distance From Climate Change: Design of an Open Mapping Assignment

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This session introduces an open (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) climate distance mapping assignment designed to help students connect climate change to places, systems, and near-future conditions relevant to their lives. Drawing on the concept of psychological distance, we examine why students may understand climate change but struggle to situate it in their own contexts.

Participants will learn how assignment design can reduce abstraction without pressuring students toward personal or potentially traumatic disclosure. The session demonstrates how structured choice allows students to engage at varying levels of personal proximity while still making meaningful, place-based and life-path connections.

Educators, instructors, and those teaching late high school and introductory college courses may find this session most useful.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Explain how psychological distance influences students’ perceptions of climate change.
Identify why students may struggle to connect climate change to their own lives.
Model assignment design that reduces abstraction without requiring personal disclosure for students.

Speakers

Leah Wiitablake

D. Matthew Boyer

Natalie Bursztyn

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Us: Exploring how open values and practices can improve the educational experience for all learners.
Region United States
Level Beginner
Education Level Higher Education, Community & Technical Colleges, Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education

4:00pm EDT

Reframing Medical Education Through Theater of the Oppressed, Critical Pedagogy, and Open Education

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This session explores innovative approaches to medical education through the integration of art-based methodologies, open educational resources (OER), and virtual learning communities. Grounded in the critical pedagogy of Paulo Freire and Augusto Boal, it challenges traditional technicist models by promoting dialogical, participatory, and human-centred practices. The presentation highlights how the Theatre of the Oppressed can foster empathy, active listening, and nonviolent communication among future health professionals. Additionally, it examines the role of collaborative digital environments and OER in expanding access to knowledge and enabling co-creation. Participants will engage with the concept of virtual communities as spaces for experimentation, shared learning, and the development of more inclusive and ethical healthcare practices.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Explain Theatre of the Oppressed can be applied in medical education.
Identify strategies to foster empathy, active listening, and nonviolent communication in healthcare training.
Analyze the role of Open Educational Resources (OER) in promoting inclusive and collaborative learning environments.
Critically reflect on the limitations of traditional technicist models in health education and propose human-centred alternatives.

Speakers

Cláudia Sansil

Catharina Santos

Cristine Gusmão

Neferson Ramos

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region Latin America & the Caribbean
Level Intermediate
Education Level Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Sowing Discord for Iterative Discovery: AI Roundtables Built on Friction

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Ask generative AI a question, and you get a confident answer. What you don't get is a second read, a dissenting take, a reason to dig deeper. When open educators use AI to create and remix resources that others will reuse, that untested confidence travels with the work.

The counterintuitive fix? Sow discord. Not by asking AI to see both sides, but by designing personas with named stakes that structurally conflict, then putting them in the same room. When multiple perspectives are built for friction, disagreement surfaces ideas neither would reach alone. Then run the output back through a critical lens, round after round, until what remains has been earned by both sides.

Open educators make decisions alone that deserve a panel, and this roundtable method convenes one on demand. Attendees leave with a replicable roadmap for building and running their own expert panel, no subject matter expertise required.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Explain why single-prompt AI use produces untested confidence and why that matters when the work will be reused by others.
Apply the roundtable method by assigning personas with structurally conflicting stakes to surface complex ideas no single perspective could reach alone.
Use iterative review loops to pressure-test AI output and recognize what repeated scrutiny reveals that a single pass misses.

Speakers

Chris Macek

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between the Lines: Examining the intersections and implications of emerging technologies in open education.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education, Higher Education, Community & Technical Colleges, Trades and Vocational Training, Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

Structure and Emergence: How BarCamps and Peer-to-Peer Learning Build Open Education Communities

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

What if the most productive learning spaces are the ones we don’t fully control? OERcamp operates between structure and emergence—combining planned formats with self-organised collaboration. As a BarCamp-based modal, an open, participant-driven unconference format, it has no fixed programme, instead attendees collaboratively shape the agenda and sessions through peer-to-peer learning.

Drawing on 14 years of experience, this presentation shows how fluid roles foster engagement and sustainable community building. It reflects on how participatory formats can surface challenges in open education and how communities respond collectively.

Transfer: Participants gain practical insights into designing participatory formats and cultivating communities that support open education over time. This proposal contributes to “Beyond Borders” by sharing perspectives from the German open education community.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Recognize the value of “in-between” spaces for participation and knowledge creation in open education.
Learn how to design participatory formats that enable engagement without relying on full control or predefined roles.
Develop practical approaches to building and sustaining community-driven open education communities.

Speakers

Jöran Muuß-Merholz

Karoline Lorscheider

Nicole Hagen

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Beyond Borders: Exploring open education projects and perspectives from outside the US and Canada.
Region Europe
Level Intermediate
Education Level Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

Teachers as Changemakers: Adopting OER for Environmental and Sustainability Education

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This session explores the availability of Open Educational Resources (OER) for environmental and sustainability education in Grades 5 to 7. As global environmental challenges escalate, OER provide accessible, adaptable materials that align with curriculum standards and UNESCO's Sustainable Development Goals.

Highlights:

* Comprehensive analysis: the study identifies existing resources, gaps, and opportunities for integration.

* Scalable methodology: it introduces a systematic process for analyzing educational materials, including the use of AI, that can be applied to other subjects and curriculum standards.

* Immediate impact: attendees will receive a curated list of OER ready for immediate classroom use.

This research servers educators, policymakers, and environmental organizations by promoting OER adoption in K-12. By bridging the gap between available resources and curriculum needs, this study offers a sustainable educational solution for an ever-changing world.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Describe why OER is a solution to delivering environmental and sustainability education in K-12.
Identify the pivotal age for introducing environmental literacy and social action.
Identify where to find openly available environmental and climate education resources that meet specific educational standards.

Speakers

Emily Grady

Master's student, Athabasca University

Emily Grady is in her final year of Athabasca University's Master of Education in Open, Digital and Distance Education, specializing in instructional design. As an avid outdoorsperson, a parent, and an environmental advocate, her personal, academic and professional interests center... Read More →

More Info

Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Here and There: Examining how strategic open education work can get us from where we are to where we aspire to be.
Region Canada
Level Beginner
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education

4:00pm EDT

The Interstitium: An Emergent Practice for the Spaces Between

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Western scientists recently “discovered” a new organ in our bodies: the Interstitium. This collagen scaffolding had long been discarded by conventional medicine and belief systems as static and generally in the way. However, a fresh look with modern tools at LIVING tissue (!) revealed that the Interstitium has myriad life-sustaining functions, previously unrecognized or underappreciated. It activates the Spaces Between within our bodies.

The Interstitium is also a powerful metaphor and a generative frame of reference for situations where reciprocal flows of knowledge, creativity, and care are vital yet unnoticed. This metaphor, brought to light in a 2023 Radiolab podcast, has spurred a growing community of practice for “Interstitionaries” who do this essential but often unsung bridging work. In this talk, I’ll introduce the Interstium as metaphor and methods, and highlight how its methods (including a self-assessment and discussion prompts) might serve the open education community.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Understand the Interstitium as an inspiring and useful metaphor for any socially-connected work.
Use the Interstitium model and its practices to help unlock new approaches for relational and recognition challenges and opportunities in open education work.

Speakers

Curt Newton

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
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Program Topic Blank Space: Open space for any other open education related topics.
Region Global Focus, United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education, Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education, Trades and Vocational Training, Informal Learning/Other

4:00pm EDT

TUS Open Press: Inclusive Teaching and Learning OER Collection

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This session will provide an overview of how and why TUS Open Press has published a collection of inclusive teaching and learning OER. This collection includes TUS Sensory Awareness Guide, Your Essay Builder: Clear Steps to Plan and Structure Your Essay and forthcoming publications including Starting University Guide for Students with Disabilities and a Case Study of how Mind Mapping Software was successfully used in our institution. We will share the perspectives of the authors and how they have embraced Open Licensing. Our authors have created their works using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and have very generously shared their considerable expertise with our TUS Open Press Community of Practice members which has been hugely beneficial. We are excited to continue supporting our Student Support Services colleagues to publish Pressbooks which embody inclusive teaching practices for the benefit of our TUS university community, and the OER community more broadly.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Understand the origins of, and ethos behind, this inclusive teaching and learning OER collection.
Engage with the OER collection.
Reflect on the experiences of these OER creators.

Speakers

Maura Flynn

Lisa Hanlon

Roisin Kelly

Elaine Kelly

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Beyond Borders: Exploring open education projects and perspectives from outside the US and Canada.
Region Europe
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Using Limited Resources to Support OER Accessibility

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Many open education resources (OER) publishing programs offer a full suite of services, including helping instructors create their own OER. However, not all higher education institutions have the resources or staffing to provide that level of support. This lightning talk will discuss how one public university attempts to provide some support to instructors, especially for accessibility, while seeking to ensure a sustainable level of help. This includes offering a publishing platform and then providing support to instructors interested in collating various existing OER into one place, as well as providing editing support to ensure OER meet legal accessibility requirements. The session will also detail how the institution’s library has experimented with several staffing models for this support as well as how it continues to refine its workflow to ensure that the work remains manageable.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Consider how much, if at all, your institution can support some OER publishing support.
Discuss how libraries can help remediate OER for accessibility.

Speakers

Teresa Schultz

Scholarly Communications & Social Sciences Librari, University of Nevada, Reno

Prior to becoming Social Sciences Librarian, Teresa served as Copyright and Scholarly Communications Librarian at UNR, where she still provides copyright education. Her first career was in journalism.

Ariana Micale

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Us: Exploring how open values and practices can improve the educational experience for all learners.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education

4:00pm EDT

Visible Impact: Creating Effective Alt Text With Students

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

Alternative text (alt text) is important, though often a secondary thought, when creating digital resources. When creating open educational resources, the written content is often the focus, with visuals added to support it. Accessibility requirements mandate that written descriptions be added to visual content in educational resources. With recent advances in AI, many are using AI to generate alt text for images in OERs. This can be done relatively quickly, but still requires significant time for reviewing, editing, and correctly inserting alt text so screen readers can access it and provide detailed descriptions. This talk advocates working with students to develop alt text to focus on the educational component of OERs. Students are eager to work with faculty on meaningful projects and can successfully develop alt text and assess its effectiveness. This talk will discuss how to do this, the benefits, and the challenges.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Develop and refine alternative text.
Incorporate students in the process of developing and refining alternative text.
Encourage student involvement in OER development and creation.

Speakers

Alishia Huntoon

Cyndi Rodgers

Elliott Huntoon DeRoche

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Us: Exploring how open values and practices can improve the educational experience for all learners.
Region United States
Level Beginner
Education Level Community & Technical Colleges, Higher Education, Trades and Vocational Training, Primary & Secondary (K-12) Education

4:00pm EDT

Who Defines Science? A Multilingual, Student-Built Open Science Glossary

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT

This lightning talk introduces the OCTOPUS Project (Open Collaboration for Transformative Open Pedagogy to support Undergraduate Open Science Education), a multilingual, student-generated Open Science glossary designed to make scientific language more accessible and equitable. While the glossary resource has already been developed, it will be implemented in undergraduate science courses where students contribute definitions, translations, and cultural and ethical context. This project leverages open pedagogy to position students as co-creators of knowledge while critically examining inequities in Open Science, including language barriers, authorship, and global access. Attendees will gain insight into how multilingual, student-driven resources can support more inclusive and globally relevant open education practices.

Attendees of this session will be able to:

Describe how open pedagogy can be used to support student-generated knowledge in STEM.
Explain the role of multilingual approaches in improving access to scientific terminology.
Identify ways to integrate equity-focused discussions into Open Science education.
Apply strategies for implementing student-driven OER projects in their own courses.

Speakers

Nourn Amin

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Lightning Talks (View Anytime)

Lightning talks are short, pre-recorded videos that can be viewed anytime during the conference. Most lightning talks are released a week early and will remain available after the conference. Don't miss this incredible collection of quick takes!

Thursday October 29, 2026 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
View Anytime

Program Topic Between Us: Exploring how open values and practices can improve the educational experience for all learners.
Region United States
Level Intermediate
Education Level Higher Education