Friday, June 14
IN PERSON at Campus de Longueuil of Université de Sherbrooke
Current Eastern Daylight Time (click for more info)
8:30 - 9:30 | Unconferencing Breakfast (Continental Breakfast Provided)
La Source
Internet Radio Feeds Available: Audio Stream 1 Audio Stream 2 Audio Stream 3 Audio Stream 4
9:30 - 9:45 | Conference Welcome, Announcements, & Land Acknowledgement
La Source
9:45 - 10:00 | Break
10:00-11:00 | Concurrent Session 6
Session 6.1 | Transitions of Online Learning and Teaching
Room 3675 (Session A)
10:00 - 10:30 | How do students make sense of a Learning Analytic Dashboard? Exploring learners’ perceptions and plans
Research
Mariel Miller & Emma Graves | University of Victoria
Student-facing learning analytic dashboards (LADs) claim to help students manage their learning. However, many widely available LADs can be inflexible and lack consideration of the contemporary theory and research of learning. Furthermore, it is unclear how students use information presented in LADs and translate it into meaningful action. This descriptive study investigates students’ use of a learning analytic dashboard to inform goal-setting and achievement over the course of one week in a large, hybrid undergraduate course. Specifically, we explore (a) learners’ evaluations of their course progress after interacting with the LAD (b) types of goals set by students for managing their learning during the week, post-interaction with the LAD; (c) the extent to which learners achieved their goals; and (d) students’ perceptions of LAD utility in supporting them to manage their learning. Data were collected through two questionnaires administered at the midpoint of a course. Preliminary findings indicate that after viewing the dashboard, most learners set goals for maintaining their current progress during the week by focusing on their motivation. However, most learners reported failing to fully attain their goal by the end of the week. Implications for supporting learner engagement with LADs students-facing learning analytic dashboards are discussed.
10:30 - 11:00 | Tech-based teaching practices and student engagement from the perspective of self-determination theory
Research
Géraldine Heilporn, Mourad Majdoub & Fatme Diab | Université Laval
Teachers can enhance inclusion and provide personalized learning experiences for students by utilizing digital tools and prioritizing inclusive teaching methods (Kim et al., 2019). However, Cabellos et al. (2023) have argued that digital resources were used more to transmit information than to engage students in their learning. The widespread and necessary use of ICT has not served to make learning student-centered but was primarily aimed at the transmission and evaluation of the content. Thus, students’ motivation and engagement are significantly affected, worsening the existing issues regarding low school motivation, especially in secondary school (Caiet al., 2022). In response to these research gaps, the aim of this communication is to explore high school teachers’ technology-based teaching methods that motivate and address the needs of learners with the use of technology based on the digital divide framework (Van Dijk, 2020), SDT (Self-Determination Theory) (Ryan & Deci, 2017) and student engagement model (Archambault et al., 2019). We have conducted individual semi-structured interviews with high school teachers aiming to obtain in-depth qualitative data mainly through open-ended questions. A thematic analysis has been employed to inductively analyze the interview data and generate possible themes and categories based on the objectives of our study. The findings and recommendations for future research will be shared at OTESSA conference.
Session 6.2 | Sustaining Positive Change
Room 3665 (Session B)
10:00 - 10:20 | Considering a Reboot: Using Design-Thinking Strategies to Maintain a Dynamic, Industry-Relevant, Game Design Curriculum
Research
Christopher Marsh | Bradley University
Bruce Parsons | Radford University
The gaming industry, expected to exceed $300 billion in global revenue by 2025, offers unique challenges and opportunities for academic programs and the traditional collegiate curriculum development process. This research discusses how game design curricula can evolve to meet those demands through sustainability and preparing graduates to be skilled and conscious of their impact and opportunities in the field.
10:20 - 11:00 | Walk the Walk: Fostering Equitable Practices in Organizational Sustainability
Practice
Apurva Ashok & Kaitlin Schilling | The Rebus Foundation
How do equitable practices show up in the workplace? In our pursuit of different goals, we often forget the journey and careful, collective organization it takes to get and hold us there.
In the discourse around building equitable futures, this session makes space to think about organizational sustainability and designing intentional work practices for long-lasting and widespread impact. Our approach extends beyond addressing external stakeholders and emphasizes modeling equitable practices internally — at the individual level and collectively within the organization.
The presentation will delve into the flexible work model we have developed that prioritizes organizational mission and the people and work to implement the mission. Our model looks at goals beyond just profitability and instead asks how we can sustain individuals, foster critical reflection, and create positive organizational change. We will showcase how equitable practices manifest in daily team interactions, board discussions, strategic direction, programming, and resource utilization.
While the principles we embrace are not groundbreaking, they are critical to the welfare and long-term success of an organization. Our focus is intentionally on the often-overlooked aspect of applying equity-minded principles within the organizational context. The presentation aims to cement the significance of iterative daily practices in sustaining a culture of equity and inclusion within educational organizations.
11:00 - 11:30 | Break
11:30 - 12:30 | Concurrent Session 7
Session 7.1 | Addressing Inequities
Room 3675 (Session A)
11:30 - 12:30 | Is AI for or Against Human Success? An Exploratory Engagement by Female Scholars
Practice
Judith Pete | Tangaza University College
Gelareh Keshavarz | Athabasca University
Jenni Hayman | Royal Roads University
In this practice-focused session, an educator from Kenya and two educators from Canada will compare access to and experiences of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for work and education in their professional contexts. Topics will include learner, educator, and institutional access to the Internet and devices in general–and access and use of AI tools, specifically. The presenters will share emerging concerns about the ethics of the design and use of AI tools and share their interests and the positive potential they see for the use of these tools. Participants attending the session will be invited to share their ideas, contexts, interests, and concerns about AI as contributions to group learning. Strategies for ethical and pedagogic review of AI tools will be shared.
Session 7.2 | Addressing Inequities
Room 3665 (Session B)
Unleashing Potential: Exploring Open Education Initiatives with TRU Open Press
Practice
Marie Bartlett, Brenna Clarke Gray, Danielle Collins, Jessica Obando Almache, Kaitlyn Meyers, Ananya Kamboj, Jon Fulton, & Michelle Harrison | Thompson Rivers University
Join us at the OTESSA conference as we highlight the transformative impact of the Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Open Press. As proponents of open education, we aim to demonstrate how the TRU Open Press fosters a sustainable and inclusive future through innovative projects. Gain insights into our core operations, including our role as a leading provider in web-first publishing, open pedagogy, and scholarship. We’ll delve into our proposal process, detail how projects are initiated and navigated, with the goal of sustaining positive change for a diverse, sustainable, and democratic world. Experience the tangible impact of our initiatives through a showcase of successful projects in the evolving landscape of online learning. Explore our open publication strategies, funding mechanisms, and their profound impact on addressing inequities. Learn about our collaborations with faculty, students, Indigenous communities, and local organizations, all contributing to sustaining shared futures through education. Delve into the production processes of our Open Educational Resources (OER) and open pedagogy projects, fostering positive and meaningful change. Join us in shaping the future of education and scholarship through meaningful discussions and building connections for shared knowledge and inclusivity.
12:30 - 1:30 | Lunch Break
There are multiple options in the Main Floor food court and an outside patio on the third floor where we can gather for lunch.
1:30 - 3:00 | Concurrent Session 8
Session 8.1 | Wildcard
Room 3675 (Session A)
1:30 - 2:00 | Dangling in Between: Investigating the Impacts of Using AI in Higher Education Research
Research
Todd Milford & Sara Fallahi | University of Victoria
Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in education since 2015 (Vincent-Lancrin & van der Vlies, 2020). Benefits and hindrances of using AI has been debated in many academic literature (Chen et al., 2020; Crompton & Song, 2021; Verma & Tomar, 2021). Today with the rise of AI tools which are available to the public, with students using them more, and universities clarifying their stance on the topic, investigating the impacts of using AI in education is more crucial than ever. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of using AI tools for graduate students. For this aim, participants were introduced to a few AI tools to use for writing literature review. Participants were also interviewed on their experience and opinion on using AI in research. Initial findings of this research suggest that the participants could benefit from using AI, for example in saving time while researching, although some concerns remained unsolved for them. The output of this research can be considered while integrating AI in higher education as well as policy making.
2:00 - 2:30 | OER in the context of generative AI
Practice
Normand Roy | University of Montreal
This proposal explores the transformation of OER in the context of Artificial Intelligence (AI), examining the multifaceted relationship between these two domains. While highlighting the potential benefits of AI in personalizing learning, creating new resources, and enhancing accessibility, the proposal also confronts the challenges associated with authorship and ethical considerations of AI-generated content. Focusing on strategies to navigate these challenges while ensuring the integrity of original contributions, the proposal further investigates how advanced AI techniques like fine-tuning and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) can be employed to create highly adaptive and personalized OER aligned with learners’ needs. Additionally, it explores the potential of AI in generating multimodal resources, potentially overcoming language, literacy, and learning preference barriers to broaden access to education globally. Ultimately, this proposal aims to leverage AI while addressing its inherent challenges, ultimately enhancing the quality, accessibility, and adaptivity of OER.
Session 8.2 | Transitions of Online Learning and Teaching
Room 3665 (Session B)
1:30 - 2:00 | Creating Reskilling and Upskilling Opportunities for Internationally Educated Immigrants through Online Learning Programs: The Story of Success
Practice
Marina Grineva | Intercultural Skills Lab (Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto)
The importance of access to reskilling and upskilling opportunities for immigrants can’t be overestimated. However, there is a number of challenges that this population faces while trying to integrate into the workforce or advance in their careers in Canadian work environments. One of such challenges is the inability to attend professional development programs in-person. From this perspective, technology-enhanced learning, specifically, on-line or hybrid learning environments (a combination of asynchronous and synchronous learning sessions) are one of the solutions of the problem.
In this presentation, we aim to provide the overview of professional development programs offered by The Intercultural Skills Lab (Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto) that successfully provides reskilling and upskilling opportunities for internationally trained immigrants by creating a variety of technology-enhanced learnings environments. Specifically, we will demonstrate how through the use of a number of online learning tools the program participants are given an opportunity to become part of vibrant collaborative learning communities fostering professional development in such areas as intercultural intelligence, effective communication, career management, as well as in the sector-specific disciplines.
2:00 - 2:30 | Investigating Transformative Technology Integration through Lesson Analysis: A PICRAT Model Pilot Study
Moved from Session 4.2
Research
Adjoa Mensah, Tina Vo, Peter Wiens & Vanessa Vongkulluksn | University of Nevada Las Vegas
According to the Council for Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP), technology integration is an important component of instructional practice and competency standards. This quantitative pilot study evaluates preservice science lesson plans using the nine domains of the PICRAT model. In a university located in the southwest region of the US, researchers piloted the use of the PICRAT model as a metric for the frequency of technology integration occurrences. Coding for PICRAT domains (passive, interactive, creative, replacement, amplification and transformation) was triangulated among researchers using interrater reliability to ensure consistent coding. The researchers deliberated on the particular benefits and obstacles associated with the PICRAT model and offered perspectives on the feasibility of utilizing the domains to code lesson plans in teacher preparation. These findings suggest a high level of consistency among raters in evaluating different PICRAT domains, particularly in the latter four categories where unanimous agreement was attained.
Room 3665 (Session B)
2:30 - 3:00 | Developments in National OER Advocacy in Canada
Practice
Ann Ludbrook | Toronto Metropolitan University
Michael McNally | University of Alberta
This 50-minute session builds upon the Canadian Association Research Libraries (CARL)’s National Advocacy Framework for Open Educational Resources (OER) in Canada (2023). It updates attendees on national OER advancements, and features insights from the Indigenous Knowledges and OER summit held in Vancouver in February 2024. The summit produced principles for working with Indigenous knowledges in OER, alongside discussions on progressing national OER advocacy. The session covers developments in policy, infrastructure, and francophone OER stemming from summits in 2022 and 2023. Reports from these events will be discussed, along with updates on ongoing federal budget consultations and the anticipated 2025 federal election. The audience will also have the opportunity to contribute ideas and strategies for national advocacy, via group discussion and polls.
3:00 - 3:30 | Break
3:30 - 4:30 | Concurrent Session 9
Session 9.1 | Addressing Inequities
Room 3675 (Session A)
Challenging Stereotypes: The Role of The Matilda Project in STEM Gender Equality
Workshop
Shehroze Saharan | University of Guelph
The Matilda Effect - a term coined by Yale historian Margaret W. Rossiter - is a phenomenon used to describe women scientists who have been ignored, forgotten, or denied credit due to sex-linked biases. The unfortunate reality is that the Matilda Effect is still prevalent today as women are not given due credit for their scientific achievements. The Matilda Project (https://www.thematildaproject.com/), a higher education initiative committed to shedding light on the pervasive issue of gender inequality in STEM, stands strategically poised to tackle this challenge. Positioned as an open-access resource, The Matilda Project encompasses the creation of educational videos and a website. The videos offer concise insights into key topics, while the website will host interactive activities and will serve as a comprehensive collection showcasing both historical and contemporary women scientists who share a common experience—the Matilda Effect.
Session 9.2 | Sustaining Positive Change
Room 3665 (Session B)
3:30 - 3:50 | Using AI to design a Culturally Responsive STEM course and improve sense of belonging among students
Research
Nahid Pourdolat Safari & Behnoosh Khoramrooz | University of Victoria
This session aims to explore the integration of AI in Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) to enhance the sense of belonging in STEM education. Focusing on the importance of CRT in developing a sense of belonging and as a result, in enhancing motivation, engagement, persistence and academic performance, this presentation will discuss the theoretical foundations of CRT and explore implementing AI-generated content in STEM course design to foster a more inclusive learning environment. This session will delve into how AI can validate and acknowledge students’ cultural backgrounds in STEM classes with a focus on underrepresented groups, including Indigenous, Black and international students. By showcasing practical examples, this session intends to demonstrate how AI technologies can be used to motivate and engage STEM students from diverse cultural backgrounds by improving their sense of belonging.
3:50 - 4:30 | Empowering Student Voices: Integrating Stop-Motion Animation with Google Drawing, Canva, and Cap Cut
Practice
Patricia Dennis | Pride Academy Charter School
In designing Project Based Learning (PBL) curriculum and units that focus on real-world issues related to diversity, sustainability, and justice, students will create hands-on projects that evoke change within themselves, their communities, and globally. In this interactive and engaging in-person workshop, educators will be immersed in a comprehensive session focused on harnessing the potential of stop-motion animation using Google Draw, Canva, and Cap Cut. The central objective of this workshop is to empower educators with the expertise and tools to integrate the engineering design process into their teaching methods, fostering student creativity and innovation while amplifying their voices through modern technology. Throughout the workshop, participants will explore how to utilize Project-Based Learning (PBL) to sustain positive change and explore the UN Global Goals, aiming to equip educators with the necessary resources and strategies to facilitate meaningful learning experiences for their students.