About the Session
This technically-oriented session introduces offline Gen AI and highlights reasons one might choose it over commercial options like ChatGPT or Gemini. We will discuss the limitations of these offline options, showcase applications to run models locally on your computer, recommend local Gen AI models depending on the objective, and examine pedagogical considerations.
By the end of this session, participants will:
- Understand the advantages of using offline Gen AI versus commercial online options
- Consider the limitations of hardware and local models
- Choose local Gen AI models based on their specific objective
- Identify applications used to run offline Gen AI
Registration Coming Soon
This session may be recorded, archived, and shared after the event.
About the Facilitators
Dr. Elizabeth Childs is Professor and Program Head of the MA in Learning and Technology program in the School of Education and Technology at Royal Roads University. She holds a PhD in Educational Technology from the University of Calgary. Elizabeth is interested in the design, creation, and implementation of flexible learning environments incorporating the affordances of information and communication technology and provide learners with increased choice, flexibility, and opportunities. Dr. Childs’ research interests include open educational practices; creation of, and engagement in, online learning communities and digital habitats; design thinking and maker pedagogy; and models for training and professional development.
Harper Friedman is a Coordinator of Open Education at BCcampus. With a background in computer science, Harper is able to combine his technical knowledge with his experience in open education. Since the boom in Gen AI, he has been exploring ways to harness this technology while staying aligned with values of accessibility, equity, environmentalism, and agency.
BCcampus is a proud member of the Sunflower Hidden Disabilities initiative. If you have a hidden disability that might affect your participation, you can download a virtual sunflower background to indicate that you may need a helping hand, understanding, or more time. If you require any support or have any questions, email sunflower@bccampus.ca
About the Session
Are you interested in open pedagogy and teaching practices supporting social justice? Join this webinar to learn from a study examining faculty experience using open pedagogy to support social justice in their online classes.
While open pedagogy is often assumed to support social justice, this is not always the case. This webinar will provide insights on how faculty members at a B.C. post-secondary institution conceptualize social justice and how they put it into practice. Participants will also learn about a social justice-informed model of open pedagogy.
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This session will be recorded, archived, and shared.
About the Facilitator
Melissa Ashman is an instructor of applied communications, public relations, and entrepreneurial leadership at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. An advocate for all things open, she has adapted and created open textbooks, developed and used open pedagogy assignments and practices, and completed research on open education. In 2025, she completed her doctor of education in distance education from Athabasca University. Her dissertation examined the intersection of open pedagogy, social justice, and online classes.
BCcampus is a proud member of the Sunflower Hidden Disabilities initiative. If you have a hidden disability that might affect your participation, you can download a virtual sunflower background to indicate that you may need a helping hand, understanding, or more time. If you require any support or have any questions, email sunflower@bccampus.ca