# Upcoming Presentation: Open Education Around the World


[Education Commons](http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/ec) is the unit at
[OISE](http://www.oise.utoronto.ca) that handles all the technology
needs for teaching, learning and research and they run an infrequent
speaker's series on topics that would interest graduate students and
faculty. Last fall, [Leslie Chan](http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~chan/)
presented on open access
([video](http://142.150.98.64/OISE/20081105-130810-1/rnh.htm)), and at
that time he very generously proposed me as a future speaker.

Together with professor [Jim
Slotta](http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/depts/ctl/facultystaff/profiles/profile.php?lastname=Slotta&firstname=James),
I will give an overview of open education trends around the world, and
also discuss how this impacts/or could impact Canadian students,
researchers and universities. I will use some material from my [previous
talk in
Delhi](http://reganmian.net/blog/2008/08/14/talk-at-iipa-in-delhi-on-open-research-oer-and-open-learning-in-developing-countries-slidecast/),
but with significantly updated material and a different twist. Here is
the abstract - if you are in Toronto on that day, you are welcome to
attend (but please register, so we can gauge attendance).

**Open Education Around the World**

*The term "Open Educational Resources" (OER) was coined at a 2002 UNESCO
conference, and refers to the rapidly growing phenomenon of sharing
educational resources freely online. Projects have and being developed
in several American institutions, and in almost 30 countries.  These
"open resources" can be accessed by the wide educational community of
teachers and students in all contexts, which has the potential to
radically expand access to education, but raises many questions. How can
pedagogical models and online communities support this kind of learning?
Are there ways of providing accreditation for new forms of informal
learning?*

*Join us as we give an overview of the field of open education, and
participate in the discussion about this new dimension that will impact
Canadian higher education in coming years. We will discuss new
opportunities for U of T courses, including the challenge of locating
high quality, relevant materials for courses (both online and
face-to-face) and of integrating these materials in order to enhance
student learning. We will discuss the implications of open education for
university educators and researchers, as well as other communities of
learners such as those in developing nations or those who wish to
organize their own program of study.*

*Date: Thursday, March 12, 2009 Time: 10 am - 12 pm Place: Knowledge
Innovation & Technology Lab (252 Bloor Street West, Room 3-104)
[**[Register for
workshop]**](http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/ec/workshops/register.php?courseid=204)*

****

Stian**