Featured Sessions
All attendees are invited to participate in these featured sessions. We expect these to be insightful and stimulating discussions on issues of interest to all. To facilitate participation, these will not overlap other presentations.
Opening Keynote Address
Speaker: Elizabeth Braatz
Expanding the Horizons: Balancing Our Roles in Expanding Access and Knowledge of Open Education on Campuses
Throughout my engagement with open education, my experience has primarily been from a student perspective until recently. I now contribute as a board member for the Open Education Conference 2024 and serve as a volunteer mentor for the Student Advisor Committee within the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC). One critical insight I gained as a student in open education was the noticeable disconnect among faculty, staff, students, librarians, and other professional support staff involved in the field. Although this observation was specific to Oregon, I believe the opportunity to speak at Open Texas offers a valuable platform to emphasize the necessity of collective action in advancing open education within higher education institutions. In my keynote, I will address the importance of harmonizing our diverse roles—whether as faculty, staff, students, librarians, or other professional staff—and explore how we can collaborate effectively to advance the various facets of open education.
Texas Open Education Community Town Hall
Coordinated by THECB Division of Digital Learning
Join the THECB Division of Digital Learning as we envision the future of open education in Texas. Gather with fellow educators, innovators, and advocates to shape statewide opportunities together! The Town Hall will dive into longitudinal data from the third biennial OER landscape survey of Texas institutions to help the community discover trends, challenges, and opportunities. Breakout conversations will allow for smaller, dynamic discussions about this pivotal moment in open education. How can we amplify the impact of OER? What questions should guide our path forward? The Texas open education community will build on the national conversation organized by SPARC, DOERS, and WICHE earlier this year that asked the question, “Do We Need a National Open Education Strategy?” and will be joined by Nicole Allen of SPARC, Liliana Diaz of WICHE, and Kathy Essmiller of DOERS to facilitate the Texas discussion. We hope you will join us for this transformative event! Together, we can design the future of open education in Texas
Closing Plenary Session
Moderator: Dr. Judith Sebesta
Panelists: Jeff Gallant, Alan Levine, Dr. Michelle Singh
Open Horizons: Texas, National, and Global Perspectives on the Open Education Movement
Join this engaging and thought-provoking closing plenary session featuring distinguished representatives from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, DOERS3, and OE Global. This session will delve into multifaceted perspectives of the open education movement, examining its current state and the pivotal moment we find ourselves in. Our esteemed panelists will provide insights from Texas, national, and global viewpoints, offering a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. This is a unique opportunity to explore future directions of open education and to discuss strategies for fostering sustainability and success in this ever-evolving landscape.
