PEARL Community of practice, welcomed the director of Office of Open Learning at the University of Windsor, Prof. Nick Baker in one of the monthly session for the “Distinguished Speakers Series”. In this interactive session Prof. Backer shared his knowledge and experience on the topic of “Online learning and openness: An opportunity to reimagine science education?”

Nick Baker is the Director of the Office of Open Learning. He is a recovering field ecologist, science educator, educational researcher, and journalist. His areas of interest presently include online and blended learning, experiential and active learning classroom design (including science labs), educational technology, and higher education policy. A national teaching award winner, Nick is a former board member of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, and a current Director of the new eCampus Ontario initiative. A tenured faculty member in the Centre for Teaching and Learning, he has degrees in Journalism, Human Geography, Ecology and Conservation Biology, Tertiary Education, Wildlife Ecology, and is presently completing a PhD in education looking at pedagogical decision-making in relation to technology.