Election results 2017

Candidates for Board of Directors

• Dianna Fisher, Oregon State University (more information)
  • Job Title
    Director of Open Oregon State
  • Biography
    Dianna Fisher has been at OSU for 16 years. Previously she directed the course development unit of Oregon State University's Ecampus, a group of award-winning multimedia programmers and course designers. In her current position, she still works with the same talented people, but now she can draw on their talents to bring resources to students and the community for free! Dianna is passionate about lowering costs for students, especially in the area of open textbooks and other open course materials. After working with multimedia developers for so long, Dianna believes that open does not mean static and boring!
  • Vision
    My vision and goals for advancing OER start with more collaboration. I believe that collaboration both nationally within one's own country and internationally can be richly rewarding. I would like to develop opportunities for this to happen with support from the Open Education Consortium. I would like to work with others to develop innovative ideas for faculty to involve students in OER creation. The creation and testing of toolkits to ease the task of talking with naysayers and the integration of OER as a part of course/program development are also goals that I have.
    
  • Ideas
    Understanding and following best practices in online education has always been a priority. I find it particularly rewarding to be able to integrate new technologies and digital tools in ways that raise the bar for innovation and best practices. Integrating OER into best practices is a goal that I think we can work toward.
  • Expertise
    
• Peter Smith, University of Maryland University College (more information)
  • Job Title
    Professor of Innovative Practices in Higher Education, University of Maryland University College
  • Biography
    - Founding President - Community College of Vt, Cal State Univ. Monterey Bay, Kaplan Open College.
    -Founding Member MIT Open CourseWare Adv. Co.
    - OEC Leadership Award for Open Ed Excellence 2015
    - ADG Education - UNESCO
    - author 3 books, articles, blogs - "new ecology of learning". Current Book (in proposal form): "The New Universe: Persnalized Learning in the Digital Age."
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  • Vision
    We are entering an era of personalized learning enabled by the emerging digital age. The OEC has been a founder and a driver of this changing environment globally. We need to continue to attend to institutional- level change as well as national and global policies. To do this we need to be ever-constant in our allegiance to our founding principles while always looking ahead to identify new changes and think through our response(s) to them.
  • Ideas
    OEC has a historic mission and responsibility to its members to understand, develop, and defend the OE space, along with other organizations. Going forward, can OEC play a role that uses its agency more explicitly to organize, define, and empower the New Universe of Learning that is emerging? I would like to explore this type of possibility as we go forward.
  • Expertise
    
• Laura Czerniewicz, University of Cape Town (more information)
  • Job Title
    Director Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching
  • Biography
    Extensive experience in education as an academic, researcher, strategist, professional practitioner, teacher trainer, teacher, publisher and higher education leader, working largely in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
    
    
  • Vision
    
    I would emphasise an inclusive and participatory approach to the work of the Consortium, working to ensure that a diversity of views are brought to bear. This is because I regard diversity as a strength and rich source of opportunity. I am particularly interested in bringing in peripheral voices, mindful that the issues in open education differ across contexts. Broadly speaking, global south open education concerns may differ from those from the global north; such differences may be echoed across other forms of marginality.
    
  • Ideas
    Please provide a brief description of your ideas for Open Education Consortium in general.
    I believe that the Consortium’s vision should include both access and participation, and that as much as possible be done to enable both equally. I would also understand open education broadly to include teaching and learning, as well as social responsiveness and research. This would mean a broad brief of open scholarship, open education resources, open practices, open online courses etc under the umbrella of open education
    
  • Expertise
    
• Nicola Paravati, Università Telematica Internazionale UNINETTUNO (more information)
  • Job Title
    Director of International Affairs
  • Biography
    Graduated at Università degli Studi di Bologna in 1998 with a final thesys on “Education in the Digital Era”, he is currently Head of International Affairs Office of UNINETTUNO, where he is also the coordinator for global cooperation projects, focused on technology, education and social inclusion.
    
    He is a member of the Executive Committee of OpenupEd (www.openuped.eu), the representative of the ICDE ON MEDSE (Mediterranean and Southern Europe) and delegate for UNINETTUNO at the main global associations of Distance Teaching Universities. Coordinator and speaker in several worldwide conferences and seminars on e-learning and new approaches to the global higher education system. Since 2014 he is director of the UNINETTUNO.tv, a satellite tv channel and a web tv free on air that allow everyone to follow videocourses and accademic contents on line and on tv. He is the founder and the coordinator of UNINETTUNO OpenupEd, the Mooc offer of UNINETTUNO with 227 courses in five languages including arabic.
  • Vision
    work for the implementation of the promotional activities of the OEC and help to expand the network in the Mediterranean and arab countries and in particular with developing and emerging countries from the south of the world. Proposition of ideas and actions for enhancing the cooperation between partners of OEC and global institutions, donors and foundations focused on economic development and empowering of people and communities. Launch of new common international cooperation projects for the OEC network consolidation.
  • Ideas
    few general idea that needs to be discussed:
    The OEC should enhance his strength coming from the variety of partners trough key actions having in mind concept as Inclusion, Diversity, Multicultural and Sharing. Open Education resources are online everywhere, OEC should be a gateway and an aggregator of quality OEC in order to act as a filter able to select quality and institutional resources made available only from trust sources. OEC should act as a gather for educational institutions and users. Quality approach on Open Education should be among the main goals in times where the race for e-learning has started on the internet.
  • Expertise
    
• Vincent, Ado Tenebe, National Open University of Nigeria (more information)
  • Job Title
    Immediate Past VC, National Open University of Nigeria (Prof. at Faculty of Agric. Science, NOUN)
  • Biography
    Born on 17/08/1958, I have a B.Sc (Agric), M. Sc & PhD in Agronomy. I have 33 years experience in Public Service as an academic staff in Federal Universities such as ATBU and NOUN. Served in various capacities as Senior Academic and Administrative staff ranging from Head of Academic Dept to Director of Research Centres resulting to the position of Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Office of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) from 2010 to 2016.
  • Vision
    - Provide opportunity for many to acquire education through Open Education cConsortium (OEC)
    - Ensure easy and flexible access to OEC globally
    - Ensure quality and internationally accepted certificate through OEC.
  • Ideas
    - OEC should be an avenue through which many can require flexible and qualitative education all over the wold.
    - It should be organised to be self sustaining while maintaining international standards and best practices.
    - It should produce education that will improve the standards of living of people by ensuring that graduands acquire education that provides self employment, employers of labour rather than job seekers.
  • Expertise
    
• Stavros Xanthopoylos, ABED - Brazilian Association for Distance Education (more information)
  • Job Title
    International Director
  • Prof Xanthopoylos is recgonized as a leader, a specialist, an advocate, a researcher and an active participant in the development of Open, Flexible and Distance Education (OFDE) in Latin America and abroad, implementing OER and research projects in the field. He has been invited to speak and participate in events and conferences in the field. He was elected a Board Member for the OEC-MIT, term 2015-2016, and has contributed to develop the Open Educational Network. He has just been invited to compose the Board of Trustees of the ICDE, term 2017-2020.
    His work and contributions to the field for the last 23 years qualify him to take a seat at the Board of the OEC and continue to assist in the development of the Open Educational Consortium in an era where access to education, knowledge or learning means can make a great difference to improve the quality of life of individuals, and, consequently, the world.
• Alireza Rabi, Farabi Institute of Higher Education (more information)
  • Job Title
    President, Farabi Institute of Higher Education
  • Biography
    Nearly 20 years of experience in e-learning as President of a Virtual University and Dean of Graduate School of Management.
    Extensive exposure and experience in course content development, learning platform enhancement, authoring and advocating open resources.
    Nearly 10 years of active participation in the development and propagation of OCW including serving on OER membership committee during the past five years.
  • Vision
    My teaching, content development and management experiences in e-Learning and educational resources, combined with my active cooperation with OEC have provided the basic ingredients required for a productive performance in the board of directors.
    My international exposure, including knowledge of the OER needs in the less developed regions, specially in the Middle East region, will be a valuable asset for the OEC.
  • Ideas
    Knowledge distribution throughout the globe is the prerequisite for sustainable development, human welfare and environmental protections. OEC is in the position to facilitate the implementation of such aim through open and free educational resources. This, will serve as a base to reduce inter-regional, as well as inter-personal disparities, hence, contributing to the reduction of violence and conflict.
    Multilingual and multicultural aspects of OER is an additional issue which needs to be included in the future OEC programs.
    
  • Expertise
    
• YU LUN HUANG, Taiwan Open Course and Education Consortium (TOCEC) (more information)
  • Job Title
    Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
  • Biography
    Yu-Lun Huang received the B.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science, and Information Engineering from the National Chiao-Tung University, Taiwan in 1995, and 2001, respectively. She has been a member of Phi Tau Phi Society since 1995. She is now an associate professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering of National Chiao-Tung University (NCTU). She is now the Associate Dean of NCTU Academic Affairs, Director of Center for Continuing Education and Training at NCTU, and Director of Center for Teaching and Learning Development at NCTU. She has been serving the Secretary General of Taiwan Open Course Consortium since 2014.
  • Vision
    Yu-Lun, representing Taiwan Open Courseware Consortium (TOCC), strives to solve the problems TOCC members encountered in promoting open course, recruit more partners interested in open education movement, encourage more people to devote themselves in making video clips or adopting video clips into their classrooms. By doing so, TOCC can promote open curriculum and stimulate the culture of active learning in Taiwan.
  • Ideas
    Yu-Lun would like to create more opportunities for open education partners to visit governing officers, MOE representatives, university boards, enterprise executives, etc, to fund raise and strengthen the power of open education movement.
  • Expertise
    
• Preston Davis, Northern Virginia Community College - Extended Learning Institute (more information)
  • Job Title
    Director of Instructional Services
  • Preston has been a long-time leader in the Open movement. He is recognized for the work he has done at Northern Virginia Community College and beyond in promoting Open Education and advocating for an open approach to education. He has presented at Open conferences nationally and internationally. He would bring a wealth of experience and the esteem of many other well-respected Open scholars and practitioners to this position. He is an outstanding candidate for a seat on the Open Education Consortium Board of Directors.
• Amanda Coolidge, BCcampus (more information)
  • Job Title
    Senior Manager of Open Education
  • I am nominating myself for the Board position as I would like to have a more active role in the global sphere as it relates to OER. I currently lead the Open Education Team at BCcampus where we work with Institutions across British Columbia to adopt, adapt, and create open textbooks as well as employ open practices in their classrooms. I am passionate about Open Education and the change it can bring to education around the world. I would be honoured to sit on the OEC Board.
• Ebba Ossiannilsson, GO-GN (more information)
  • Job Title
    V President Swedish Association for Distance Education, VP Swedish Association for e_Competence, Independent Reseacher and Consultant
  • Biography
    Dr. Ebba Ossiannilsson, is the V President for the Swedish Association for Distance Education (SADE), and the V President for the Swedish Association for E-Competence (REK). She is the founder and owner of Ossiannilsson Quality in Open Online Learning (QOOL) Consultancy.
    
    Dr. Ossiannilsson was awarded the EDEN Fellow title in 2014, and she became Open Education Europa Fellow in 2015. In late 2016 she was nominated to become Open Education Europa Ambassador. Since the year 2000, she worked at Lund University, Sweden, as an e-learning, open online learning expert, and advisor with special focus on quality. She also does consultancy within these areas for several national universities’. Ossiannilsson is a researcher, advisor and consultant. She is frequently invited as keynote speaker for international, and national conferences. She is board member in national and international associations, around open online learning and education. She was the research leader for the ICDE research study on global overview of quality models, and the evaluator of the SEQUENT project on quality. Ossiannilsson collaborated with the EC ET working group on digital and online learning on quality in OER, MOOCs and open education. She did also some work with Commonwealth of Learning. She was an expert for IPTS on their work on the framework for open education. Ossiannilsson is a quality reviewer for both ICDE as well as for EADTU and for former EFQUEL. Ossiannilsson is coordinating the ICDE_ON_BOLDIC on behalf of the Swedish Association for Distance Education (SADE). She is in the Board for several scientific Journals and the Guest Editor in the Education Sciences Journal, the topical collection on MOOCs.
    Ossiannilsson is in the EDEN EC, with special responsibility for ISO for EDEN, and she is leading the Special Interest Group (SIG) on TEL for EDEN. Ossiannilsson is in the ICDE Focal points on quality for Europe, and at national level she works for the Swedish Institute of Standards (SIS, and for SIS/ISO Sweden.
    
    Ossiannilsson has conducted several research studies in open online learning, including flexible learning, OERs and MOOCs, she has conducted several national overview reports, for example, the POERUP, ADOERUP, Global OER Mapping, the IPTS Member States Case Studies on Policies for Opening up Education, and for the Open Education Working Group. Ossiannilsson has been actively involved in Open Educational Week the last five to six years, and has given several presentations. She joined the Open Educational Global conference in Krakow 2016.
    
    Ossiannilsson has a large national and international outreach in professional social network and in social media. She has a variety of roles; Educator, teacher, Policymaker, council worker, public servant, Academic, researcher, Working in education and digital, innovation and open technology.
    
    Ossiannilsson is involved in the Open Government Partnership.
    
    In brief Ossiannilssons research field convers the following areas of interests (In alphabetic order): Benchmarking, Challenged Based Learning, Collaborative Learning, Communities of Practice, Cross-action learning spaces, Digital leadership, Digital transformation, Emerging Innovative Technology and Pedagogy, Flexible Learning, Flexible learning, Fourth Industrial revolution, Innovation, Innovative Pedagogy, Micro-Learning, MOOC, Networking, Next Generation Digital Personal Learning Environment (NGDPLE), Learning Spaces, ODL, OER, Open Access, Open Badges, Open Education, Padagogy, Pedagogy, Personal Learning, Policy and Strategy, Social Media, TEL, Mobile Learning, Self-Determined Learning (Heutagogy), TEL, Quality,
    
    Ossiannilsson earned her PhD at Oulu University, Finland in 2012 with a dissertation on Benchmarking e-learning in higher education: lessons learned from international projects. Ossiannilsson, E. (2012). Benchmarking e-learning in higher education: lessons learned from international projects. (Doctoral dissertation, Oulu University, Finland). Retrieved from: jultika.oulu.fi/Record/isbn978-952-62-0041-5 Her dissertation has fortunately had a very large outreach and is often cited. Ossiannilsson’s publications comprise over 200 publications: Conference papers, Journal articles, Book Chapters, Reports, Editor for books, and her dissertation. She will author on request a forthcoming book on OER on open education (Springer). Please see link to her ResearchGate.
    
    Spoken languages are Swedish, and English, she understands German, Danish and Norwegian.
    
    Ossiannilsson has a passion to contribute to open education for a Future We Want for All, as is emphasized by UNESCO for 2030. She also has a passion for work on the fourth industrial revolution, and its impact. Her special area of interest is on quality
  • Vision
    Ossiannilsson has a passion to contribute to open education for a Future We Want for All, as is emphasized by UNESCO for 2030. I think OEC can contribute in may means to the worldwide agenda on Openness and to reach the UNESCO goals. Through the activities by OEC, and involvement of stakeholders there can be a large impact on openness and opening up worldwide, at all levels, i.e. for individuals, for organizations and for decision-makers both at national level, regional level, as well as globally.
    
    As the year 2017 is the year of OPEN, I strongly believe that with OEC we together can make a difference for individuals, and organizations in the world.
  • Ideas
    I would like to contribute and to fulfil the tasks and missions which already are on OECs agenda. I also believe that OEC can take an even more robust and solid role to include both individuals, but also stakeholders in the areas. I also strongly believe that OEC can take the lead for the 4th industrial revolution and its consequences and impact.
    I strongly believe that ORC will take the lead for this transformation, and on the transformation of leadership in the fourth industrial revolution to shape the future for education, gender and work, for the future we want for all.
    
    As the year 2017 is the year of OPEN, I strongly believe that with OEC we together can make a difference for individuals, and organizations in the world.
    
  • Expertise