Open Ed Live 2024 Recorded Sessions

Open Ed Live Welcome!

Amanda Major, University of Central Florida

Welcome to our exploration of the boundless opportunities of open education to improve learning experiences for students everywhere. In closing, let’s celebrate the power of open education and continue our collective journey toward a more welcoming and accessible learning landscape.

AI, openness, and our educative re/turn: Educator agency amid perpetual uncertainty

Jonathan Lashley, Idaho State Board of Education

While the educational implications of generative AI are unfolding as quickly as they are evolving, they are not the only disruptive changes facing educators. This session explores how open educational practices help us grapple with uncertainties surrounding AI in education and revisit our most enduring values as educators.

OER Basics Drop-in Session

Kevin Corcoran, University of Central Florida
Lily Dubach, University of Central Florida

Join this session on OER basics and bring your questions! In this safe and informal space, facilitators are ready to receive your questions on the 5Rs, promoting OER, launching a program, open pedagogy, and so on. This session does not include a formal presentation; instead, attendees will ask questions and facilitators will guide discussion on various topics related to open education.

OuER Story: In the Interests of All

Anne Prucha, University of Central Florida
Kacie Tartt, University of Central Florida

In this session the presenters will speak about their use of Open Educational Resources combined with Personalized Adaptive Learning in redesigned high-enrollment GenEd courses. Hear about their successes and challenges–plus outcomes–in a non-traditional approach with OER and PAL in the Humanities. The session will also focus on the advantages and benefits of these innovations for students and faculty alike.

Is Opt-In the Future of “Inclusive Access”?

Nicole Allen, SPARC
Wendy Howard, University of Central Florida

“Inclusive Access” is a model that has been adopted by many institutions to provide students with course materials. Recent developments at the federal level have raised questions about the transparency and equity of these programs. This presentation will discuss the current state of Inclusive Access, including how regulatory changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Education may change the default model from “opt-out” to “opt-in.” It will also share the University of Central Florida’s experience implementing a successful opt-in Inclusive Access program.

Open Pedagogy Drop-In Session

Denise Lowe, University of Central Florida
Kevin Corcoran, University of Central Florida

Join this session on Open Pedagogy and bring your questions! In this safe and informal space, facilitators are ready to receive your questions regarding open pedagogy benefits and practical implementation practices. This session does not include a formal presentation; instead, attendees will ask questions and facilitators will guide discussion on topics related to open pedagogy.

Open Minds, Open Doors Panel

Aimee deNoyelles, University of Central Florida
Luci Blanco, SGA Director of Academic Affairs, University of Central Florida
Joshua Ashby, Wiki Knights, University of Central Florida
Jerrett Longworth, Wiki Knights, University of Central Florida
Carson Cox, Wiki Knights, University of Central Florida

What is open education and how does it benefit students? How do students perceive and use open educational resources (OER) in their courses? What are the challenges and opportunities of open education for students and instructors? Join us for a lively and informative discussion with a panel of UCF students who have experienced open education in different disciplines and contexts. Hear their stories, insights, and recommendations on how open education can improve learning outcomes, reduce costs, and foster a more inclusive and equitable learning environment.

Confessions from OER Adopters: Implementing Open Education Resources from the Faculty Perspective

Amanda Groff, University of Central Florida
Lana Williams, University of Central Florida
Michael Callaghan, University of Central Florida
Sandra Wheeler, University of Central Florida

Join Department of Anthropology faculty as they discuss 3 different methods for implementing open education resources in the classroom. From adaption to adoption to creation, listen to real-world experiences and learn more about the time involved, benefits to you, students, and department, and how to get started.

Accessibility and Open Education Drop-In Session

Karen Tinsley-Kim, University of Central Florida
Kevin Corcoran, University of Central Florida

Join this session on accessibility and open education and bring your questions! In this safe and informal space, facilitators are ready to receive your question. This session does not include a formal presentation; instead, attendees will ask questions and facilitators will guide discussion on topics related to accessibility and open education.

OER for Libraries and Textbook Affordability Partners

Lily Dubach, University of Central Florida
Sarah Norris, University of Central Florida

Join us for an interactive workshop that explores the synergies between libraries and Open Educational Resources (OER). This session will highlight libraries’ role in OER; explore how textbook affordability partners and libraries can exchange ideas, strategies, and best practices; provide a five-fold approach to open education in libraries; and include an active discussion about new technologies to streamline OER adoption, adaptation, authorship.

Meet the Speakers

Discover the insights of leading experts in open education. Our speakers include pioneers like Kevin Corcoran in digital learning, Nicole Allen in educational equity, and Dr. Callaghan in Mesoamerican archaeology, along with award-winning librarians, innovative instructors, and dedicated researchers all committed to expanding access to educational resources. Connect with these trailblazers as they share their experiences and strategies for fostering learning and affordability in education.

Kevin Corcoran

Kevin Corcoran is the Assistant Vice Provost of the Center for Distributed Learning. Kevin has over 25 years of experience in the development and support of strategies for the effective use of digital learning tools and content that focuses on quality standards and practices, student engagement, accessibility and affordability. Kevin has supported system, state, and national open education efforts over the past decade, including chairing the statewide Connecticut OER Coordinating Council and the DOERS3 collaborative.

Nicole Allen

Nicole Allen is the Director of Open Education for SPARC (sparcopen.org), leading the organization’s efforts to advance openness and equity in education. Inspired as a student to make knowledge more accessible to the world, she has dedicated her fifteen-year career to advocating for open education and college affordability. Her impact includes passing legislative reforms, mobilizing grassroots campaigns, and building up the open movement nationally and internationally. At SPARC, Nicole leads a broad portfolio of initiatives to advance open education, spanning state and federal policy work, community organizing, and leadership development.

Dr. Callaghan

Dr. Callaghan is a Mesoamerican archaeologist who specializes in the study of the ancient Maya with an emphasis on ceramic analysis. He is interested in how ceramic technology, the organization of production, and exchange of ceramics contributed to the growth of social complexity. Dr. Callaghan’s research informs the study of how technology and production contribute to changes in social structure. He has been awarded grants from the National Science Foundation, National Geographic Society, American Philosophical Society, and the Fundación Patrimonio Cultural y Natural Maya (PACUNAM) in Guatemala. Dr. Callaghan teaches courses for undergraduate and graduate students at UCF in the areas of General Anthropology, Maya Iconography, Ethics in Anthropology, Archaeological Ceramic Analysis, Archaeology and Pseudoscience, and the Anthropology of Walt Disney World, FL.

Lily Dubach

Lily Dubach, Textbook Affordability Librarian at the University of Central Florida, collaborates across campus to promote and transition course content to affordable options such as open educational resources and library-sourced eBooks. In conjunction with statewide and national affordability initiatives, she provides library leadership on projects supporting student success. Lily is also the subject librarian for the School of Communication Sciences & Disorders. Her research interests include leveraging technology, such as artificial intelligence tools, for discovering or enhancing open educational resources, as well as analyzing student outcomes and perceptions of open or library-sourced material course adoptions. Lily is the 2024 recipient of the Excellence in Librarianship Award which recognizes outstanding contributions and support given to the university’s faculty and students.

Dr. Amanda Groff

Dr. Groff is a senior lecturer of anthropology who specializes in archaeology and bioarchaeology. Dr. Groff received her PhD in Anthropology from the University of Florida in 2015. Her primary area of research utilizes stable isotopes to determine migration and social mobility of ancient individuals. Dr. Groff joined the UCF faculty in 2009 and teaches various sections of online courses for the UCF Department of Anthropology. Currently, Dr. Groff also participates in research associated with the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project (CCAMP) in Florida and the Kerkenes Archaeological Project in Turkey. In addition to teaching, Dr. Groff also serves as the Online Coordinator for the UCF Department of Anthropology.

Wendy Howard

Wendy Howard is the Director of the Pegasus Innovation Lab (iLab) at the Center for Distributed Learning. She has a diverse background in both corporate training and higher education. In addition to her Doctor of Education degree in Instructional Design & Technology from UCF, Wendy has also earned a BA in Mathematics and Secondary Education and an MA in Corporate Communication & Technology from Rollins College. Her current research is focused on faculty development, digital learning in STEM, collaborative online learning and internationalizing the curriculum through technology. She also provides a practitioner’s perspective based on over twenty years of experience in both design and instruction.

As the director of UCF’s iLab, Dr. Howard’s primary focus is to strategically align, promote, and provide project management support for initiatives that contribute to the lab’s mission to serve as an incubator for the next generation of digital learning by supporting faculty and staff in piloting, refining, and evaluating innovations that positively impact student success at scale.

Dr. Denise Lowe

Dr. Denise Lowe holds an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership, Higher Education; an M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling; a B.S. in Psychology; and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). At the University of Central Florida, Denise served as an Instructional Design Team Lead from 2009 – 2018, where her duties included oversight responsibilities for several Strategic Initiatives, including faculty development and open educational resources. Denise also teaches as an adjunct lecturer in the LEAD Scholars Academy and the Nicholson School of Communication and Media. Her research foci are faculty development, emotional intelligence and leadership, and online design and teaching effectiveness. Denise currently holds a faculty rank of Senior Instructional Designer and is a member of the Open Education Resources team at UCF.

Sarah Norris

Sarah Norris is Scholarly Communication Librarian at the UCF Libraries. In this role, she leads the Libraries’ Scholarly Communication and open access efforts, with an emphasis on scholarly publishing and copyright training and education. Her research interests include digital humanities and copyright implications in the digital environment, open access including the expanded use of OERs in the classroom and open data, and utilizing technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to support research, teaching, and learning. In 2023, she was awarded a UCF Research Incentive Award (RIA) for outstanding research and scholarly activity that advances the body of knowledge in a particular field.

Anne Prucha

Anne Prucha is Senior Instructor in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at University of Central Florida (UCF), where she teaches Spanish and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). She is active with UCF’s Center for Distributed Learning Pegasus iLab, working with colleagues to incorporate Personalized Adaptive Learning (PAL) and OER content into first-, second- and third-year Spanish courses. In 2022, she and her colleagues, including Kacie Tartt, were recognized by UCF’s Affordable Instructional Materials (AIM) Initiative with the AIM High Group Impact Award for using OER, increasing affordability and accessibility for students.

Kacie Tartt

Kacie Tartt is Senior Instructor in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures (MLL) at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where she teaches Spanish and Latin American Studies. Kacie works to take the goals of accessibility and affordability to the next level in her courses. She also collaborates with UCF’s Center for Distributed Learning to further distance learning initiatives within the Spanish division at the university, most recently exploring Adaptive Learning methods and technologies, as well as OER, within her discipline in a third round of the Course Redesign Initiative sponsored by the Pegasus Innovation Lab & UCF Board of Trustees.

Karen Tinsley-Kim

Karen is part of the Instructional Development, or iDev, Team that creates online tutorials and training to equip faculty, staff, and students to effectively use Webcourses@UCF and other online instructional assets. She coordinates Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) online reactive accessibility content reviews and support for instructors who have enrolled students connected with Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Karen has a BS in Studio Art from FSU, MA TESOL from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and is continuing her academic development the Texts & Technology graduate program at UCF. Before joining CDL’s iDev Team in 2012, Karen taught ESL/EFL for over two decades, including in East Asia and at UCF-CMMS. Throughout her careers, she has contributed her skills in writing, editing, graphic and web design, and online teacher training. Karen is also the utility patented product developer of the Redema Ottoman Footrest, which she uses under her desk every day.

Dr. Sandra Wheeler

Dr. Sandra Wheeler is a Senior Lecturer and Anthropology Undergraduate Coordinator. Dr. Wheeler teaches upper-level undergraduate courses in biological anthropology such as Primatology, Ancient Plagues: Archaeological and Skeletal Evidence of Infectious Disease, and Mummies, Zombies and Vampires: Anthropology of the Undead. Several of her courses have received Quality, High Quality and Blended Quality designations. Dr. Wheeler also developed Beyond the Anthropology Major: Careers Applying Anthropology, an undergraduate professional development course aimed at non-academic and alt-academic jobs; this course received a high-impact Integrative-Learning Experience designation. Dr. Wheeler is committed to student-centered learning and providing low-to-no-cost accessible course materials. As Undergraduate Coordinator, Dr. Wheeler helped spearhead the adoption of OER course materials in all of the Anthropology General Education Program courses. By 2025 the Anthropology Department aims to adopt OER course materials for ensure all lower-level Anthropology courses.

Dr. Lana Williams

Dr. Williams a bioarchaeologist specializing in research of human health and diet. She works in Egypt with the Dakhleh Oasis Project (2002-present) and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven project at Dayr al-Barsha (2006-present), and as a team member with various archaeological projects in Europe, the Near East, and Mesoamerica. Her research focuses on isotopic and elemental analysis of hair, seasonality in fertility and disease, musculoskeletal biomechanics and patterns of activity, and placement of the dead in the physical and social landscapes. Dr. Williams regularly teaches introductory general education courses in Anthropology and upper-level courses on Ancient Egypt, the Viking World, Human Biological Diversity, Biobehavioral Anthropology, and History of Anthropological Thought.