Monday, June 2
Times listed in this program are Pacific Daylight Time (Victoria, BC)
8:30 - 9:00 | Conference Welcome, Announcements, & Land Acknowledgement
9:00 - 10:00 | Keynote: Peter Scott | Multi-Laterally Open: A Commonwealth Story
Session available online in Zoom & HHB 105.
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) was established in 1987 by the Heads of Government of what was then widely called the ‘Commonwealth of Nations’, as an intergovernmental agency tasked with helping member countries in the field of ‘Open Learning’. With Open and Distance learning, open technologies and resources, and a more digitalised, online world, becoming increasing the next normal, stakeholders in our 56 countries continue to make strides against learning inequity even as others choose step away from open, multi-lateral engagement. While there is very much yet still to do, we can note progress and consider why COL believes there is cause for optimism.
10:00 - 10:15 | Break
10:15 - 11:15 | Concurrent Session 1
All sessions available online in Zoom & CLE B007/B017.
Session 1.1
10:15 - 11:05 | Time Barriers for Adopting Digital Tools in Language Teachers’ Practice
Research
Maryam Elshafei | York University
In language teaching, most research on educational technologies (edtech) focus on the positive potential and pedagogical value of using different edtech tools. At the same time, many studies have also reported time as a limiting factor for implementing edtech in the classroom. The role of time as a constraint for the adoption of edtech in language classrooms is usually under-discussed. Rather than addressing the potential burden of engaging with new technologies, many scholars investigating the impact of technology-mediated language learning seem to suggest that teachers do not adapt educational technologies due to deficits in teachers’ skills. To promote alternative research agendas and institutional policies that forefront teachers, I will present the results of a literature review investigating how technology-aided language teaching can impact a teacher’s time inside and outside the classroom. Recommendations for improved edtech uptake that respect teachers’ time are also discussed.
Session 1.2a
10:15 - 10:35 | Reframing Presence in Fully Online Learning: Embracing Imagination, the More-than-human, and Sustainability
Practice
Susanna Kohonen | University of Eastern Finland
In the context of fully online learning, higher education students have been found to struggle with feelings of isolation, lack of experience of presence, and lack of meaningful connections. These in turn have a negative effect on learning outcomes. To tackle these challenges, the presentation proposes drawing on posthumanist and socio-materialist thought. How to foster a sense of presence and togetherness in digital learning spaces is a question many online teachers, including myself, find challenging to answer. Are synchronous online sessions the only plausible option? This presentation aims to challenge our imagination by reflecting on both theoretical underpinnings and practical steps for educators to create more inclusive online learning environments that may enable opportunities for experiencing presence, ultimately aiming to reframe the concept of togetherness in fully online education.
Session 1.2c
10:55 - 11:15 | “Generating” Equity? Why Generative AI-Powered Education Necessitates Integration of Critical Algorithm Studies
Research
Fatima Zohra | University of Waterloo
To what extent do AI-powered technologies threaten to exacerbate existing societal inequities? This presentation examines three core areas through which Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) can pose detrimental harms for society: (1) AI “hallucinations” and mis/disinformation; (2) mass data collection; (3) biased prompt engineering. These examinations culminate in the proposition that the integration of GenAI in education requires a simultaneous integration of critical algorithm studies so students (and educators) are well-versed in the nuances of GenAI ethics – particularly in regard to Open Educational Resources (OER) and Open Educational Practices (OEP). By providing practical recommendations for GenAI integration through sample demonstrations, activities, and case studies that can be conducted in the classroom, this presentation underscores that the GenAI “hype” which is grounded in the promise of objectivity, efficiency, and scalability must be critically evaluated given the high stakes of equity involved. Examining how such technological infrastructures are (re)shaping pedagogy – and education more broadly – is critical for addressing how the lack of rigorous regulation of these technologies threatens to exacerbate existing inequities and obstruct the democratization of knowledge.
11:15 - 11:45 | Break
11:45 - 12:45 | Concurrent Session 2
All sessions available online in Zoom & CLE B007/B017.
Session 2.2a
11:45 - 12:05 | Exploring the Alignment of Design Principles for K-12 Online Learning with Researched Models and Standards: Principles to Guide Engaging and Supportive Online Learning
Research
Randy LaBonte | CANeLearn; Elizabeth Childs | Royal Roads University & Michael Barbour
In 2023, researchers explored the relationship between Design Principles for K-12 Online Learning (Crichton & Author, 2022) and quality standards for K-12 online learning, publishing a report on the intersection between design principles and standards (Author et al., 2023). Design principles refer to the fundamental concepts and guidelines that inform the creation and implementation of educational programs, materials, and systems (Kukulska-Hulme & Traxler, 2013), while standards tend to be more discrete, flexible, and responsive to local conditions (Bell, 2000). In 2024, the Community of Inquiry (Garrison et al., 2000) was explored as a research-based framework for the design principles, given the model was used for the published standards for K-12 online learning (BC Ministry of Education, 2021). The study built off the OTESSA 2024 presentation and proceedings paper, analyzing intersection points between the COI and design principles. The analysis led to a potential model to guide the development of engaging and supportive online learning. Researchers plan to share it with online educators and revise the model and the design principles. It is hoped that basing design principles in the context of a research-based model will further develop an understanding of quality in K-12 online learning and inform K-12 online practice.
Session 2.2b
12:05 - 12:25 | Yes, You Can: Research With Adult Trauma Survivors Who Learn Online
Practice
Hilary Schmidt | Thompson Rivers University
Trauma-informed educational practices are rapidly gaining traction in higher education, with increasing interest from faculty and staff, administrators, and government policymakers. While the volume of scholarly publications in this area has increased over the past few years, literature on trauma-informed pedagogy and practice in higher education continues to consist primarily of practitioner reflections, with a paucity of empirical research (Anderson et al., 2023). As far as I am aware, my own publications (Schmidt, 2023, 2024, in press) comprise the first peer-reviewed research to examine trauma-informed practice for open/online higher education. Given survivors’ preference for hybrid and online learning (Werkmeister, 2024), the relative lack of research in this area represents a troubling gap. Particularly concerning is the dearth of scholarly literature that centres survivors, contradicting the fundamental principle of collaboration in a trauma-informed approach.
This session aims to support researchers considering projects that centre adult trauma survivors who learn in open/online settings. Using SAMHSA’s (2014) guidelines for trauma-informed practice, the session dispels myths, dismantles barriers, and provides practical guidance for implementing respectful, collaborative research relations with survivors, ensuring safety for researchers and participants, and attaining institutional research ethics board approval.