Amazing stories of openness: I know you have them

I wrote in an earlier post that one of our goals with the Sixth Annual Open Education Conference was to present a program that somehow expanded how we conceived and thought through what open education means. So imagine how thrilled the organizers were to read Alan Levine’s idea for a session entitled Amazing Stories of Openness:

While open courseware is important, there is much more that happens to us as individuals as we break old conventions and actually freely share our content online.

I want to help promote the concept of wide open sharing by highlighting examples of Amazing Stories of Openness– things that people have gained from that were initiated from putting something they made, wrote into the open space of the web, stories of things that would not have ever happened without this space.

This session has so many of the classic CogDog elements. The Web 2.0 storytelling using any number of tools, the multiple means of participation (contact him via webform or the wiki to work something out) the kickass metaphor with the unmistakable aesthetic. I’ve got a couple ideas I intend to submit, and whether or not you will be at OpenEd I urge you to as well.

On that note, the schedule for the conference is now up, and if you care to take a look you’ll see why I’m so excited about this sucker. We have an incredible selection of presenters that represent mainstays of the movement as well as some newcomers to the conference who will bring some welcome energy and fresh insights. This really is an open education dream team – if you don’t believe me, check out the program for yourself.

I should also note this event will be held in downtown Vancouver in mid-August, and we are planning a number of activities to take advantage of this incredible location at its very best time of year. Expect a post soon on our opening night BBQ at Stanley Park’s Second Beach, which is going to be a corker… I urge you to register soon – the almost obscenely affordable early bird rates end July 20th. (And I should disclose that the person limit for the BBQ is lower than for the conference (capped by Parks Vancouver), and it’s possible that later registrants won’t be able to join our Pacific sunset feast on the beach.)