Event: International Open Access Week 2024

Prof Dorothy Laubscher

Topic: Innovative Uses of Open Educational Resources: Connecting Classrooms, Research, and Communities

Topic Description:  This presentation explores the multifaceted impact of Open Educational Resources (OER) across three key areas: classroom instruction, academic research, and community engagement. It highlights how OER enhances teaching and learning experiences by providing accessible, adaptable resources in educational settings. The presentation explores current research, showcasing how OER can effectively be used in the classroom to improve student outcomes, reduce educational costs and foster self-directed learning. Additionally, it discusses the broader implications of OER for community involvement, democratising access to knowledge beyond formal education.

Biography: Dorothy Laubscher is an associate professor in the Research Unit Self-Directed Learning in the Faculty of Education at North-West University. She serves as the chairholder for the UNESCO Chair on Multimodal Learning and Open Educational Resources at the North-West University. Her research interests include mathematics education, technology-enhanced learning, self-directed learning, open educational resources, and blended and multimodal learning environments to foster self-directed learning. She is involved in various projects exploring open educational practices and technology-supported and multimodal learning to promote self-directed learning. She acts as a supervisor for post-graduate students and has published on a national and international level.

Prof Leon de Beer

Topic: AI Assistants: Accessible Research Tools

Topic Description: This presentation will focus on how freely available AI-powered assistants can aid the research process. The goal is to showcase AI tools that empower the researcher without sacrificing process oversight.

Biography: Prof Leon De Beer is an Associate Professor of Work and Organisational Psychology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He also holds extraordinary appointments with the North-West University in South Africa and Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Leon holds a C1-rating with the NRF with research focusing on burnout, work engagement, and psychometric validation. He has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles. His citation metrics currently include 3228 citations, an h-index of 34, and an i-10 index of 55, highlighting the impact of his work on the academic community. Leon has supervised numerous postgraduate students, including over 23 master's students and 6 PhD candidates. In the latter half of 2023, he became interested in how researchers could apply large language model technologies to all aspects of the research process. He now shares his experiences and knowledge with the wider academic community.

Dr Mark Hahnel

Topic: The State of Open Data Survey Over Time - Investigating Attitudes to Open Science in Different Jurisdictions

Topic Description: This talk uses data from the State of Open Data surveys to examine the evolving attitudes towards open science across various jurisdictions over time. It explores how regional, institutional, and disciplinary factors influence perceptions of open data practices, highlighting trends, barriers, and drivers that shape the global adoption of open science initiatives.

Biography: Mark Hahnel is the VP of Open Research at Digital Science and the founder of Figshare, which he created while completing his PhD in stem cell biology at Imperial College London. Mark sits on the board of DataCite and the advisory board for the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and re3data.

Mr Leo Chiloane

Topic: SAEON Open Data Platform: Enabling Open Science Through Systems Integration

Topic Description: The South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) Open Data Platform (ODP) represents a leap forward in the accessibility and integration of environmental data in South Africa. It is designed to meet the growing demands of researchers, decision-makers, and the broader earth observations community. This presentation will provide an overview of the platform’s information architecture, certification achievements, and interoperability framework, highlighting its role in advancing open science and decision-making.

The SAEON ODP is built upon a robust information architecture that ensures efficient data management and access. The platform employs a modular design that supports various data types, including environmental observations, model outputs, and derived datasets. Its architecture is organised into distinct layers, including a metadata catalogue, a data repository, an administration interface, and an application layer which supports the downstream development of data products. The metadata catalogue facilitates data discovery by indexing detailed information about datasets, while the data repository is optimised for storing and retrieving large volumes of environmental data. The administration interface provides a user-friendly mechanism for data curation and systems integration, enabling data mobilisation and standardisation. This structured approach ensures that different system users can efficiently navigate and utilise the data according to their needs.

Biography: Leo Chiloane manages the Data Infrastructure Node (uLwazi) at the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), where he oversees the implementation of open data management systems and information platforms. He is a Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Data and Knowledge Working Group member and the International Long-Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER) Information Management Committee.

Mr Nick Shockey

Topic: Community over Commercialization: Reclaiming Control of Research Communication

Topic Description: The shift toward a system of research that is open by default is well underway; however, the details of the future we reach are far from fully decided. As the digital infrastructure for open research is being built, the decisions made now about what platforms to use, which to support financially, and whose interests to prioritize will shape the future of science and scholarship for decades to come. This talk will explore how we arrived at the current state of academic publishing and its future directions. In particular, it will discuss the drivers of this shift toward open research, key recent developments, and how to pursue this shift in a way that aligns with this year's International Open Access Week theme of "Community over Commercialization."

Biography: Nick Shockey has been the Director of Programs and Engagement at SPARC since 2009. He works across SPARC to identify areas to better support member libraries, co-leads SPARC’s communities of practice related to negotiations, privacy, and surveillance, and leads SPARC’s student and next-generation-focused initiatives. Nick also contributes to SPARC's policy advocacy and landscape analysis work, including authoring SPARC's statements opposing Clarivate's acquisition of ProQuest, Elsevier's acquisition of Interfolio, and commercial surveillance practices by academic vendors.

Prof Jako Olivier

Topic: Open knowledge as a public good: Catalyzing scholarship for the community over-commercialization

Topic Description: In this presentation, two aspects of open access are considered: knowledge as a public good in the open sphere and the need for scholarship for the sake of community over-commercialization. The idea of knowledge being a public good is not new and is widely accepted, especially within the context of open educational resources. However, it is essential to consider how knowledge can be considered a global or international public good while still being relevant locally. A further tension related to the theme of Open Access Week in 2024 is "Community over Commercialization". In this context, the purpose of publications in the education sector should be critically considered in terms of the value for the community in contrast to the increased commercialization of knowledge through funding models and paywalled publishing.

Biography: Jako Olivier is an Adviser of Higher Education at the Commonwealth of Learning in Vancouver, Canada and an Adjunct Professor of Open Education at the University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia. He is a member of the advisory board of the Open Education for a Better World initiative. He is also rated as an established researcher by the National Research Foundation of South Africa. His current research relates to open and distance learning, self-directed learning, open educational resources, localization for open education and blended learning.

Prof Lorette Jacobs

Topic: R2-D2 and other artificial intelligences: Catalysts for empowering or eroding access to information?

Topic description: If we consider that any artificial intelligence has the power to distribute information for good and for ill, we have to ask ourselves what we, as humans, want to use AI for. Are we willing to accept the information it provides as the absolute truth, or are we willing to question the information to consider for ourselves the value and importance of information? To answer these questions, information professionals and users must consider the information access landscape, behaviour in utilising information, advancements of AI and what the future holds for us as humans to function alongside AI tools.

Biography: Prof Lorette Jacobs is Unisa's Department of Information Science Chair. Her interests range from records management to using ICTs in information practices, information literacy development, curriculum development and improving teaching and learning practices in higher education. Her current research relates to transcending research paradigms to encompass an Afro-centric paradigmatic construct and exploring supervision models unique to the open-distance e-learning environment. She has completed a D Litt Et Phil in Information Science at the University of Johannesburg and an MPhil in Higher Education at the University of Stellenbosch. She is currently involved in the artificial intelligence project of InterPARES, part of the International Council on Archives, related to the access and use of digital records by ESARBICA citizens.

Karen Concha and Josefa Alfaro

Topic: A Systematic review of articles on Artificial Intelligence in Libraries 2019-2023

Topic Description: This systematic review of articles on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in libraries from 2019 to 2023 offers a panoramic view of the study of this technology in the library field in recent years. This presentation is focused on analyzing the results obtained in Web of Science and Scopus on AI in libraries from 2019 to 2023.

Biography - Karen Yisley Martínez Concha, a graduate in library and information management from the Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana del Estado de Chile, researches the use of artificial intelligence in libraries and has participated in automation projects and library systems for non-traditional spaces such as the library of the Goethe-Institut in Santiago and the children's hospital school Con todo el corazón. She is currently doing her professional practice in the direction of knowledge management at the Universidad Central de Chile.

Biography - Josefa Valentina Tello Alfaro,  a graduate in librarianship and information management from the Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana del Estado de Chile, researches the use of Artificial Intelligence in libraries and has participated in automation projects and library systems for non-traditional spaces such as the library of the Goethe-Institut in Santiago and the children's hospital school 'Con todo el corazón'. She has also volunteered in the Technovation Girls programme for the 2023/2024 season. She is interning at the Directorate of Information Services and Libraries of the Universidad de Chile (SISIB).

Ms Nombuso Zondi

Topic: A review of artificial intelligence implementation in academic library services

Topic Description: Artificial intelligence  (AI)  has emerged as a transformative force across various sectors,  including academic libraries, offering potential paradigm shifts in operations and patron services. The imperative need for AI in educational library services stems from its myriad advantages in enhancing efficiency and service quality. Despite its promise, the integration of AI within academic libraries faces hurdles such as expertise shortages,  infrastructure limitations,  financial constraints, and employment concerns. This paper critically seeks to assess AI implementation in academic library services. The aim is to uncover adoption drivers and challenges in  AI  implementation in academic libraries. This paper conducts a comprehensive literature review to explore the implementation of AI in academic libraries. The study's findings indicate that  AI  implementation heralds an era of enhanced service delivery,  albeit accompanied by challenges,  notably in developing countries like  South  Africa. It also indicates success hinges on meticulous planning,  collaborative teamwork,  adequate funding, and proactive promotion. Furthermore,  the paper's findings offer librarians and top management insights into navigating the efficient adoption of AI projects within academic library settings.

Biography: Nombuso Phamela Zondi is a Faculty of Accounting and Informatics Lecturer at the Durban University of Technology, South Africa. She earned her Master's in Library and Information Science in 2023 and is pursuing her PhD. Her research focuses on information science, information-seeking behaviour, and ICTs, strongly emphasizing improving information dissemination and accessibility for underserved communities.