OpenCon Ohio 2026 Conference Schedule (Virtual on May 15, 2026)

Welcoming Remarks: Mandi Goodsett (Committee Co-Chair), Performing Arts & Humanities Librarian / OER & Copyright Advisor, and Scott Vine, Director, Cleveland State University Michael Schwartz Library

As generative AI rapidly reshapes how teaching, learning, and knowledge creation are approached, educators are being asked to adapt instructional practices in the midst of ongoing change, competing priorities, and increasing cognitive load. At the same time, there is increasing pressure to engage students meaningfully, support critical thinking, and navigate evolving expectations around AI use without overhauling entire courses or abandoning established pedagogical values.    This presentation builds on the tradition of open educational practice by examining how generative AI can support, not replace, educator‑led creation and sharing. This session frames generative AI as a tool in the creation process, helping educators lower technical barriers to design interactive learning experiences grounded in multimedia learning theory.  Using a classroom‑tested example, the talk highlights an openly licensed, interactive web‑based tool designed to prompt student reflection on where thinking happens during the research and writing process when generative AI may be used. The tool encourages intentional decision‑making, invites students to consider what cognitive work may be lost through over‑reliance on AI, and supports metacognitive engagement across a range of instructional contexts and AI policies.  By combining generative AI with open licensing, educators across roles and disciplines can create, remix, and share adaptable tools that reflect their pedagogical values, expand access, and reimagine their role in the future of open education. Learning outcomes: 1. Describe how generative AI can support educators in creating interactive, openly licensed learning tools  2. Identify ways multimedia learning theory can inform the design of AI‑supported instructional resources 3. Recognize opportunities to create or adapt open tools that encourage student reflection and critical thinking around generative AI use

Open education is rooted in the belief that sharing knowledge openly expands opportunity, participation, and innovation. As the field evolves, new conversations are emerging about how open work can remain responsive and sustainable. Understanding what open education this looks like at the state level is an important part of reimagining the future of open education. This presentation will briefly overview what is happening across the open education field today, drawing on the landscape analysis and field-mapping work conducted through the development of the Open Education Association. It then invites participants to consider how these broader trends take shape within Ohio’s open education work. Following the presentation, participants will be encouraged to share their perspectives through an asynchronous Padlet reflection, highlighting where open education is thriving in Ohio, what challenges remain, and what opportunities for collaboration feel most meaningful. By centering state-level perspectives, this session contributes to a broader understanding of how open education can continue evolving in ways that reflect the needs of those doing the work. Learning outcomes: 1. Describe key national trends and conversations shaping the open education field.  2. Reflect on how broader open education developments may be experienced within state or local contexts.  3. Contribute perspectives that help inform future approaches to coordination and collaboration in open education.

• Technology (platforms for OER hosting, AI, etc.) "Looking into your Open Education Future"
• Outreach (getting the word out) 
• Enriching Teaching Practice (incorporating open pedagogy, using open tools and resources)