Open Educational Practices Empower Students Through Access and Agency

In a keynote address for the OE Bootcamp 2024, Heather Ross, an Educational Development Specialist at the University of Saskatchewan, explored how open educational practices (OEP) can transform learning. Ross highlighted that OEP—including open educational resources (OER) and open pedagogy—offer significant cost savings for students and enable the use of localized content. Beyond financial benefits, these practices promote academic integrity and align with institutional priorities. Most importantly, they give students agency to engage in more authentic learning experiences. The talk provided practical strategies for educators to adopt OEP and make the case for their adoption within their departments and colleges.