Getting closer to real time – here is my Open Education News and Stuff from February 7.

Hello everyone!

I am a bit slow to get the News out to you this week – little things keep creeping in and pulling me away.  For one, I have been meeting with some faculty who are either now on Scheduled Development, or who will be in May/June, working to move their courses away from paid textbooks.  And in addition, my Director, Mary Burgess, were invited to attend this week’s Camosun College Student Society Board meeting where we were able to hear directly from students both about classes where they did not have to pay for a textbook, and about classes where they are struggling because textbook and online assessment platforms are so expensive (and often can’t be shared to reduce costs). 

If you ever want to know if adopting, adapting, or creating Open Educational Resources is worth the time, just talk to your students!

Open Education Week is March 6-10!

At Camosun

I was recently reminded that this year is, in fact, NOT the first time we have celebrated Open Ed Week as a college, but it’s been awhile, so it kind of feels like the very first time (sorry for the Foreigner reference).  Anyway, I can now share with you some of the specific things we will be doing!  And when I say “we”, I mean the college as a whole, but these plans came to fruition through the hard work of a small planning group from Learning Services (I will name them once I have asked their permission). 

• First, we will be peopling Open Education tables at both Lansdowne (on March 6) and Interurban (on March 7) where we will share information about Open Education, have people available to answer questions, and showcase some of the open education work already being done at the college.   On the Monday, you will find us in the Fisher main foyer area from 10-2, and on the Tuesday will start in the main foyer of the CHW building from 9-11, and then head over to the Trades building foyer from 11:30-2.  At all three locations, you will find CETL folks, librarians, faculty, and even students ready to talk to you about Open Education, the importance of Open Educational Resources/Open Textbooks, and how you can get on board.
• For the first two weeks of March, both campus libraries will be displaying Camosun-authored and used open textbooks so you can see what you and your fellow faculty members are using to support students in their classes.
• Gwenda Bryan and I have been working on a new and improved Open Education LibGuide (with thanks to Okanagan College whose CC-licenced LibGuide we are adapting).  You will be able to see the new Guide at our Open Ed tables, and we will be sharing out the link in as many ways as possible during Open Ed Week and beyond.
• Open Education will be taking over the regular Teaching and Learning Community of Practice with an Open Education Conversation Café on Thursday, March 9 at 2:30PM in Teams.  This is a drop-in session, so no need to register.
• Finally, we will be inviting students and faculty to answer some skill testing questions at our tables and giving out prizes throughout the week!

We are still looking for people to join us on the Monday and Tuesday at either (or both) campuses.  If you are interested and available for any chunk of time during those days, please let me know and I will add you to our schedule!

Around BC

There are always great virtual events happening at other post-secondary institutions at BC and around Canada.  What I know so far is:

• UBC Events
• BCcampus is curating Open Education Week events from around the province, and you will find those being added to their Events Calendar over the next few weeks

Around the World

Open Education Week has its roots through OE Global, and as they say “The 2023 Call for Contributions to Open Education Week (OE Week) is now open! OE Week 2023 takes place wherever you are from March 6-10. OE Week is proudly hosted by OE Global.”  You can visit their OE Week site to check out what will be happening around the world, much of it virtual.  The site will be updated probably daily, so keep going back!  And I’ll add more event links in the next News and Stuff.

Workshops in May/June

Looking for some Open Education-related workshops for May/June SD (or just some workshops you can take around your busy schedules)?  Here is a list of workshops we will be offering.  Full schedules and descriptions will be coming out in March, but if you have any questions, just let me know!

Around the World

OER 2023 – Open Education Conference (alt.ac.uk) will be happening April 4-6 in Inverness, Scotland, and also hybrid.  This is the conference for Open Education research, practice and policy organised by ALT, the Association for Learning Technology, in partnership with UHI, the University of the Highlands and Islands.

OpenEd2023 will be November 7-9 and will once more be virtual.  It is, without a doubt, the best conference I’ve ever attended, in person, virtual, or any format!

Finally

I am still looking to find out who is using open textbooks and OER in their teaching at Camosun.  If you are using an open textbook in your course(s), or you know someone else who is, and I have not already had a chat with you, please send me an email because I would really love to talk to you more about your experience! 

 Have questions?  Looking for an Open Textbook for your course(s), or OERs to take your course/program to ZTC (zero textbook cost)?  Want to talk about a potential Open Education project (or are your students interested in talking or hearing about OpenEd)?  Contact Emily Schudel and/or Gwenda Bryan! 

Share the joy – CETL (Emily) is available to come talk to your department/program about Open Ed – just shoot me an email to let me know if your department/program is interested in hearing more.

Thanks for being on our mail list.  Am I missing anything?  Know anyone else who might like to receive this email?  Let me know!

Have a wonderful day and week!

Emily