Appendix F: Membership and Volunteer Service Work
- Virtually Connecting (VC) – I am a Co-director in this global grassroots organization and act as the regional lead for Canada. Virtually Connecting brings conference hallway conversations into open digital spaces using video conferencing software. This requires a virtual host and an onsite facilitator to engage both conference participants with those who may not be able to attend the conference due to barriers or constraints.
- ISTE (VC) – While I’ve been a member for over 20 years, I have been an executive member of the ILN (Inclusive Learning Network) for the previous 5 years, and have chaired the ILN conference presentation review committee for the past two years, and have organizing the annual ILN book study, which is open to all ISTE and non-ISTE participants, for the past four years.
- Creative Commons (CC) – I am an inaugural member Creative Commons Canada and a participant in the Creative Commons Open Educators Network. This Canadian grassroots group is part of a larger global organization focusing on fair and equitable access to resources and information while applying the Creative Commons open licensing system. My involvement resulted in a response to the Government of Canada on revisions to copyright legislation and policies. Also, my service to Creative Commons has resulted in a Certification in Creative Commons and a position as a facilitator of the CC Certification course, offered online three times each year.
- Open Education for a Better World with UNESCO – In my second year with this organization, I have volunteered as a mentor for educators in India in their efforts to bring open educational resources and practices into their teaching and learning contexts. Although this did work did not appear to directly connect to my research interests at first, it has now inspired some research into the status of cross cultural mentoring and the potential influence mentoring can have on the adoption of OER and OEPr with teacher educators.
- GO-GN is a global network of graduate students at both the masters and PhD levels who are focusing research on open education. Funded by the Hewlett Foundation, it brings researchers together annually, as well as providing digital connectivity through video presentations, blog posts, and a Whats App group to exchange ideas, theories, concepts, and research directions. I was an supporting member prior to being accepted into the Joint PhD program and my membership shifted to a full participating member since I began this program. Current and former members continue to push my thinking and expand my explorations into theories relevant to my research. Specific influence on my current research has resulted from conversation with GO-GN members Dr. Jenni Hayman, Dr. Verena Roberts, Caroline Kuhn, Dr. Chrissi Nerantzi, and Dr. Catherine Cronin who have all achieved or will soon achieve PhD status since the beginning of my membership in this organization. I am scheduled to participate in a one-day workshop on March 31st and hope to be funded to travel to the OEGlobal conference to present my research design and results in 2021.