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Welcome Address, Dr. Antonio Tillis, Interim President, University of Houston-Downtown

Open Texas 2021

Archival records from this conference can be found below.

Open Texas 2021: Adoption, Engagement, & Impact

was held virtually on March 11-12, 2021 via the OpenWater conference platform.

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This first annual Open Texas conference convened librarians, faculty, administrators, and other open education practitioners and advocates in Texas.

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It was co-hosted by University of Houston-Downtown, Houston Community College, and the Houston Area OER Consortium and co-organized by the Texas Digital Library, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Digital Higher Education Consortium of Texas.

Keynote Address

"Why Open Education Matters Even More"

Professional photo of Dr. DeRionne Pollard

"It was clear to us from the start that Open Educational Resources could boost access; we had to prove to ourselves that it could sustain achievement...which it did!"

"We realized that education doesn't...happen equitably if we don't take the intentional step to provide that opportunity."

"Social justice has to be built. Improving opportunity with OERs and with cutting edge curricula will serve our students in need."

Conference Materials

Image by Christina @ wocintechchat.com
Image by Alexander Shatov
Image by Viktor Talashuk

Snapshots

Steering Committee

  • Ursula Pike, Associate Director, Digital Higher Education Consortium of Texas 

  • Judith Sebesta, Executive Director, Digital Higher Education Consortium of Texas

  • Lea DeForest, Communications Manager, Texas Digital Library

  • Kristi Park, Executive Director, Texas Digital Library

  • David Ryden, Professor of History and Associate Dean, College of Humanities & Social Sciences, University of Houston-Downtown

  • Michelle Singh, Ph.D., Assistant Commissioner of Digital Learning, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

  • Kylah Torre, Ph.D., Director of Digital Learning, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Photo of the Houston skyline

Host Committee

  • Co-chair – Shandra Robertson, University of Houston-Downtown

  • Co-chair – Nathan Smith, Houston Community Colleges

  • Joselin Escobar, University of Houston-Downtown

  • Michelle Hernandez-Perez, University of Houston-Downtown

  • David Ryden, University of Houston-Downtown

  • Kate Carter, University of Houston-Clear Lake

  • Geneen Clinkscales, Lone Star College

  • Tonja Conerly, San Jacinto College

  • Joselin Escobar, University of Houston-Downtown

  • Linsey Ford, University of Houston-Clear Lake

  • Karl Henson, Prairie View A&M University

  • Megan Hopwood, Lone Star College

  • Niki Whiteside, San Jacinto College

Program Committee

Co-chairs
Shandra Robertson, University of Houston-Downtown
Nathan Smith, Houston Community Colleges

  • John Lane, University of Houston-Downtown

  • Sarah Haiying Li, Texas Southern University

  • Loan Nguyen, University of St. Thomas

  • Dr. Musa Olaka, Prairie View A&M University

  • Janice Peyton, Texas Southern University

  • Ursula Pike, Digital Higher Education Consortium of Texas

  • Sherry Randsell, San Jacinto College

  • Josue Rodriguez, Student, St. Thomas University; Board Member, Young Invincibles

  • David Ryden, University of Houston-Downtown

  • Ariana Santiago, University of Houston

  • Lisa Spiro, Rice University

  • Amy Tan, Houston Community Colleges

  • Samuel Weehunt, University of Houston Downtown

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