We argue that AI hasn’t made OER obsolete, but instead makes them more urgent. To respond to the challenges created by AI, we present a framework and toolkit for intentional human-centred OER design. In a world of abundant information and instant AI-generated answers, the key challenge for learning is no longer open access alone, but trust, context, critical thinking, and meaning.
Our session challenges dominant AI‑and‑OER narratives by suggesting that the future is less about AI‑assisted OER content creation and more about trusted, human-centred OERs that humanise the training data from which AI learns.
Our toolkit provides practical ways to embed authentic educator presence, transparent standpoint, intentional learning design, and community accountability into OER - qualities AI struggles to offer. This approach addresses the paradox of AI efficiency - where instant answers erode critical thinking and “desirable difficulty” - and shows how open pedagogies can restore these qualities.
Attendees of this session will be able to:- Critique the pedagogical challenges created by AI, particularly the tension between instant information access and the erosion of critical thinking and desirable difficulty.
- Reframe the value proposition of OERs from access alone towards a human-centred approach grounded in deliberate learning design, verifiable provenance, and transparent standpoint.
- Apply an OER ideation framework to design learning experiences that prioritise intentional human-centred design, educator presence, and rich context to complement AI-mediated learning.
- Recognise the critical role of trusted, human-curated OERs in sustaining the integrity and educational value of future generative AI learning ecosystems.
- Use the framework and toolkit to articulate and advocate for the value of human-curated OERs to colleagues, leaders, and institutional stakeholders in an AI-mediated learning environment.
