OEP SIG Webinar #1: Open Publishing and the Value of Access

Join us on February 15 for the relaunch of the SIG Webinar Series. Our first researcher is Jessica Thiel, a PhD candidate with the Digital Media Research Centre at QUT.

Abstract: The traditional market for publishing textbooks and education resources is flawed. The ecosystem which supports traditional publishing is complex, and often involves knowledge creators assigning the rights to their work, and students paying high prices to access education materials with no control over the choice of the content. The emergence of open publishing models in education has challenged the way in which the traditional publishing industry is viewed by stakeholders: education institutions, governments, philanthropic/private funders, and individuals. Open publishing is changing the way knowledge is accessed and used; it is providing alternative ways to publish by removing access barriers, promoting free access to knowledge, and supporting changes in social norms and trends (letting people access and use content the way they want to). There exists an opportunity for innovation and progress through the broader adoption of open publishing in higher education. This broader adoption has the potential to make real changes to significant issues, such as those included in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and more broadly with respect to human development. This research investigates the way open publishing in higher education operates and argues that open publishing models are a viable alternative to traditional publishing, and when positioned to succeed, have the potential to positively influence human development.

Bio: Jessica Thiel is a PhD Candidate within the Digital Media Research Centre (DMRC) at QUT. Her research investigates how markets, social norms, and intellectual property laws shape the way publishing in higher education operates and contributes to the knowledge commons. Her thesis examines the intersect between access to education materials and copyright law and considers the potential implications for human development. Jessica’s work seeks to inform public policy, norms and law relating to the way knowledge is created and disseminated.

Jessica has previously worked for Universities Australia as Director of Copyright. She is a member of Creative Commons Australia and an advocate for open access and open education. She holds degrees in Law and Arts (Journalism) from Griffith University, a Master of Law from QUT and was admitted into practice as a solicitor in 2012.

This session will be recorded and added to the SIG YouTube Channel.

Date: February 15, 2022
Time: 10.00am (AEST), 11.00am (AEDT)
Link: https://latrobe.zoom.us/j/84052231992