Open Library Events

Picture Perfect: The Art of Accessible Image Communication

Thursday March 14, 2024

12:00-1:00 EDT

This session dives into the significance of images in digital content, exploring the accessibility barriers they may present. You will learn the importance of alt text in making images accessible, including how to describe images effectively through interactive activities. Participants will practice writing alt text and gaining hands-on experience. This webinar equips attendees with practical skills and insights to enhance digital inclusivity, ensuring their content is accessible and enjoyable for all audiences. Learn to transform your approach to digital imagery and embrace the principles of accessible communication. 

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Unlocking Accessibility: Captions, Transcripts, and Audio Descriptions

Tuesday March 19, 2024

12:00-1:00 EDT

This session will delve into the components of making digital content inclusive for all users. From understanding the importance of captions in enhancing comprehension to exploring the versatility of transcripts in aiding diverse learning styles and the vital role of audio descriptions in making visual content accessible, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge and tools to meet accessibility standards. Join us to gain valuable insights into creating a more inclusive online environment. 

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Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and Higher Education: Lessons from a Blind Grad Student’s and a Sighted Librarian’s Journeys

Wednesday March 20, 2024

12:00-1:00 EDT

In this webinar, you’ll learn from blind and sighted perspectives on web accessibility in higher education. We’ll give an overview of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, explaining why they are important, but also explain their limitations. We’ll demonstrate how a screen reader is used to navigate webpages and Word documents, and how to make them more accessible. We’ll also address misconceptions that sighted people often have about screen readers.  We’ll also address some of the less frequently acknowledged accessibility problems faced by students and scholars, such as the difficulty of getting page numbers for citation purposes.  

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Exploring Inclusivity in OER from a Design Perspective: A Conversation

Thursday March 21, 2024

12:00-1:00 EDT

Join us for an informal discussion on designing inclusive, open education resources for teaching and learning.  Key topic areas to consider will be provided, and participant feedback and experience will be encouraged. The session will focus on designing accessible OER in Pressbooks and H5P however, topics may apply to other content creation platforms.  Educators, designers, administrators, or anyone passionate about making education accessible, inclusive and open are encouraged to attend. This collaborative conversation aims to foster a community of practice by encouraging knowledge sharing.  

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Writing Accessibility Statements for OERs

Tuesday March 26, 2024

10:30-11:30 EDT

Join our focused session to enhance your skills in drafting accessibility statements for digital learning resources. This webinar is ideal for educators and digital content creators who aim to ensure their materials are accessible and inclusive. 

Session Highlights: 

• Crafting Clear Accessibility Statements: Write statements that clearly communicate accessibility features of digital content, aligning with legal regulations and Universal Instructional Design. 
• Identifying Key Elements: Recognize critical components that should be included in every accessibility statement. 
• Structuring for Clarity: Organize statements for ease of understanding and effectiveness. 

• Utilizing eCampusOntario’s Tools: Discover how to use tools from eCampusOntario for creating accessible educational materials. 
• Applying Creative Commons in Accessibility: Explore how Creative Commons licensing can contribute to making educational resources more accessible. 
• Analyzing Real Examples: Examine effective accessibility statements to identify best practices. 
• Hands-on Practice: Engage in an activity to draft your own accessibility statement, with feedback and discussion. 
• Q&A Session: Address specific questions and scenarios related to writing accessibility statements. 

This session is designed to provide practical, actionable guidance. Whether you’re refining existing skills or starting from scratch, you’ll leave with examples and tools to create more inclusive digital learning environments.

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How accessible is this? Reaching for better accessibility in OER projects

Wednesday March 27, 2024

12:00-1:00 EDT

While OER present the opportunity for improved accessibility in learning resources, many of us are still developing the knowledge needed to determine if the OER we selected or developed meets accessibility standards. This interactive workshop will discuss typical barriers to accessibility in learning materials such as OER, review best practices for identifying accessibility issues and provide strategies for improving the accessibility of OER as they are adopted, adapted, and created.  

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OERs and Accessibility: Which Standards to Use

Thursday March 28, 2024

12:00-1:00 EDT

Participants will learn about Accessibility standards most relevant for creating various OER formats and identify tools and strategies to assess content to ensure AODA compliance. We’ll delve into the nuances of current standards, addressing limitations and challenges. This webinar provides ample opportunities for participants to ask questions and gain a comprehensive understanding of creating inclusive educational resources.   

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OER Rangers Panel Discussions

Join us for a two-day showcase of the OER Rangers program. As part of a train-the-trainer approach to Open Education, the Open Library has convened four panels where our 2023 cohort of Open Education Rangers will share their insights on a multitude of topics. Having spent the year working to raise awareness, build capacity and advocate for Open education at their institutions, the showcase will be an opportunity to learn from the experts. Attendees will have a chance to ask questions and learn about varying facets of open education.

Panel 1: Accessibility

Tuesday March 5, 2024

12:00-12:30 EST

eCampusOntario OER Rangers will share their journey through the program, focusing on their insights into accessibility within OER. They will discuss key takeaways and future directions for Open Educational Resources.

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Panel 2: Collaboration

Tuesday March 5, 2024

12:30-1:00 EST

This session highlights eCampusOntario OER Rangers’ collaborative experiences in the program and their insight on community engagement for OER. 

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Panel 3: French Resources

Wednesday March 6, 2024

12:00-12:30 EST

Rangers will recount their efforts in raising awareness to French OER, sharing challenges and successes, and explore the potential for growth in Francophone open educational resources.

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Panel 4: Indigenous Resources

Wednesday March 6, 2024

12:30-1:00 EST

Rangers discuss the use of Indigenous knowledge in OER, reflecting on their learning journey and the impact of including Indigenous perspectives in education. 

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Unlocking the potential: Open Educational Practices and the Digital Transformation of Work-Integrated Learning Experiences

Tuesday March 5, 2024

1:00-1:30EST

This presentation delves into the transformative potential of open education in dismantling barriers for experiential learning within language minority contexts and in fostering an inclusive educational landscape. 

We will first explore the concepts of experiential learning, work-integrated learning (WIL), and open educational resources (OER), as well as provide context surrounding the creation of our OERs, namely that this work has been spearheaded under the Consortium d’apprentissage expérientiel francophone de l’Ontario (CAPFO) program of eCampusOntario. 

We will then dive into two OERs created within the context of CAPFO. The first OER will showcase our survey results from the WIL CAPFO Report in 2023 that canvas trends and challenges in the franco-ontarian sector. These insights will be complemented by an exploration of the WIL Framework, a strategic tool developed within the CAPFO context to bolster educator engagement.  

By sharing our experiences, outcomes, and collaborative frameworks, we aim to inspire educators and institutions to embrace the power of open education in cultivating enriching experiential learning environments, especially within language minority settings. 

We are looking to share valuable insights and contribute to the ongoing discourse on the intersection of open education, experiential learning, and linguistic minorities to pave the way for a more accessible and inclusive educational future. 

This presentation will help the audience explore the power of open education in breaking down barriers for experiential education in a language minority context. 

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OER in Research and Practice: Supporting International Learners 

Wednesday March 6, 2024

1:30-2:30EST

The use and adoption of OER presents an exciting opportunity to support international learners in their Ontario postsecondary education journey. This presentation will showcase research eCampusOntario conducted in 2023 on digital solutions to support international learners. An eCampusOntario OER Ranger will also talk about an OER they created as part of the Virtual Learning Strategy that is used to support international learners with developing professional communication skills. This presentation will combine OER research with OER practice. 

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Designing and Publishing OERs: Creator Panel Discussion 

Thursday March 7, 2024

12:00-1:00EST

This panel discussion features OER creators who have recently completed the Specialized OER and Ancillary Resources project. Want to hear from others about taking your project from idea to final product? Creators for the project represent the diversity of OER developers: some were individuals and others project teams, some developed textbooks and others multimedia content, and some had no experience creating OERs while others did. Panelists will share their insights regarding development, using different platforms, along with challenges and successes to help future creators. Attendees will be able to submit questions or topics of interest when registering for the session. 

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Recordings of past events

Find recordings of all our past events on our YouTube page.

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Questions? Connect with us here.