26.11.2025, 00:00–00:45 o'clock (Europe/Berlin), Stage One
Canada's Open Education movement continues to grow through a unique blend of grassroots advocacy, provincial leadership, and a deep commitment to equity. Shaped by English and French traditions as well as Indigenous knowledge systems, the national approach to open education aligns with UNESCO's OER recommendations.Recent strides—including the National Advocacy Framework and large-scale provincial textbook programs—have significantly expanded access and reduced costs for learners. The Rebus Foundation bolsters this progress with professional development offerings that centre accessibility and inclusive storytelling. These collective efforts showcase Canada as a leading example of how open education can transcend mere cost savings to become a practice of justice and transformation.
Frank is a second-generation NOERd — he joined the game when it was already in full swing. On the one hand, he regrets that a bit, since he’s only now getting to know so many great people and past projects. On the other hand, he feels that this sometimes allows him to look at OER and OEP from a slightly different “lens.”
Beyond the big topic of openness, Frank can hardly rein in his curiosity about anything related to learning and teaching. That might have something to do with the fact that he once studied (vocational) pedagogy — but then again, maybe not.
Kaitlin Schilling is the Programs and Community Manager at the Rebus Foundation and the author of Making Ripples: A Guidebook to Challenge Status Quo in OER Creation (2024 Open Education Award for Excellence finalist) and Beyond the Horizon: Broadening Our Understanding of OER Efficacy. She is also one of the authors of The Rebus Guide to Publishing Open Textbooks (so far) and collaborator on Pulling Together: Manitoba Foundations Guide (Brandon Edition) with the Manitoba Foundations Group. A former participant and facilitator of the Open Publishing Projects Certificate (OPC), Kaitlin is committed to inclusive and accessible storytelling. Her enthusiasm for open education is rooted in her firm belief in expanding access to knowledge with a focus on equity.