Open Educational Resources (OER) and Open pedagogical approaches allow us to imagine new ways of engaging students, creating community, and empowering faculty. OER are teaching, learning, and research resources made available for free use and re-purposing by others. Often praised for their role in lowering textbook costs for students, Open practices offer new pathways to improving student learning and sense of belonging through authentic representation in learning materials and inclusion in curricular development. In creating, adapting, and adopting open materials and approaches, instructors join a community of like-minded educators committed to rigor, authorship, openness, and support.  

Faculty, students, and staff across UVA are engaged in Open practices, employing the pedagogies, tools, technologies, and mindsets of Open Education. This symposium invites seasoned practitioners and curious explorers of Open Educational to learn from others, create new partnerships, and share ongoing work.