Session Title:

Bridging Open Education and AI: Tools, Resources, Access, and Innovation

Session Description:

This session examines how Open Educational Resources (OER) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can work together to expand equitable access to learning. As institutions aim to reduce costs and improve student success, combining open education practices with AI-powered tools creates new opportunities for innovation.

Participants will explore where to find high-quality OER, how to evaluate and adapt open materials, and how AI can support content creation, translation, accessibility, and alignment with learning outcomes.

Attendees will gain practical strategies and tools to thoughtfully integrate AI into open education initiatives, enhancing affordability, inclusivity, and student engagement.

Speaker(s):

Dr. Jennifer Miller-Ray is a faculty leader and educator in the College of Education at Sul Ross State University. Dr. Miller-Ray is an OER Fellow (THECB Cohort 2), promoting digital and STEM literacy, student success, and innovative learning experiences.

Ajay Vaidya is a Research Analyst at Sul Ross State University, where he supports institutional effectiveness and research team through data-driven insights and reporting. He specializes in transforming complex data into actionable information for decision-making, with experience in tools such as Power BI, Tableau, SQL, and statistical analysis. Ajay is passionate about using data to improve student outcomes, enhance institutional planning, and foster a culture of evidence-based decision-making in higher education. Also has strong passion for artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques.

This initiative is made possible in part by Dr. Jennifer Miller-Ray’s participation in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (THECB) OER Fellowship Program, whose vision is “to support mentor relationships for OER use, creation, and capacity building at institutions and statewide.”