The annual Open Education Conference starts tomorrow, both in Denver for those in-person and also online, hybrid at the same time.
There will be many eyes on the event with its theme of “Eyes on the Horizon”
A few folks from ISKME will be there in person, so keep an eye out!
I was just in the online “speed networking” session and what a fabulous concept, even if, as usual, the organizer left to wrestle zoom’s breakout room assignment function was challenged (I have used zoom for so long I cant remember when, still anytime I have to manage, it Feels Like the First Time).
Despite this, it was a great chance to meet quickly a lot of new people- in fact, I did not see one name or face that I knew, but in a few rounds have great conversations and shares with participants from Kenya, Turkey, Bangladesh, West Virginia, and Colorado (somehow my last random match was with two community college teachers and since I stake my claim on my first 16 years in the field with the Maricopa system, it was a community colleges in open education cheering squad).
A young student from Instanbul who is getting ready to run a marathon, informed me that the one in his city is the only marathon that starts and ends in different continents- Asia, and Europe.
I also learned from a student in Nairobi that that large city was in it a national park so I have vivid images of city skylines and rhinoceroses.
Again, what a fantastic idea for a opening session.
A hat tip to @AbbeyElder who is doing live updates from OpenEd25 via Mastodon, here on the opening keynote and student panel
Just of the very lively, dynamic hybrid panel discussion “Choosing Your Next Mountain: Finding Your ‘Where Next?’ for Open Education” with Jeff Gallant @jeffwgallant (University System of Georgia), Rebel Cummings-Sauls (Florida Virtual Campus FLVC), Rajiv Jhangiani @rjhangiani (Brock University), Julie Curtis @JCurtis (moderator, Pressbooks), Lisa Young @lcbyoung (Maricopa Community Colleges).
Making good use of mountains as metaphors for challenges and achievements, inspiring discussion. Many great audience contributions via a padlet.
A few quotes (I was too busy listening to save more)
“There is no other way to be an educator, but to be an open educator”— Rajiv Jhangiani
“It’s important to choose not too many [mountains]” – Jeff Gallant
I was fortunate to listen to the morning panel “AI on Our Terms: Designing Open, Inclusive, and Responsible AI” while driving.
The panel included two colleagues I know well (hi)- @mahabali Maha Bali (American University in Cairo) and @ammienoot Anne-Marie Scott (Commonwealth of Learning) as well as someone to follow more- Jutta Treviranus from Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University - worth linking https://idrc.ocadu.ca/.
A fabulous interchange I would not do justice to summarize, but you can count on the OpenEd conference making the recordings available after the conference.
And what a refreshing keynote session with adrienne maree brown who while was speaking online, seemed very much “in the room” with her presence in a very conversational format faciliated beautifully by @apurva Apurva Ashok.
It included a miving poem adrienne read “ask questions” https://adriennemareebrown.net/2025/02/22/ask-questions/
That’s only a half day! For anyone else attending the Open Education Conference, please share any highlights.