Posted on behalf of Jenni Hayman, who write with an update about a key outcome from the GO-GN Canada pilot hub.
Image Attribution: Elder Lance Scout TK Attribution + TK Non-Commercial with CC BY-NC-ND.
What a story I have to tell! I will begin by saying that this is absolutely a shared story of connection and love that is difficult to put into words. However, as words are the coin of the GO-GN Global realm, I’ll give it a go. The deliverable project I’m describing here, a collective open Pressbook of stories, would not have been possible without the generous support of the GO-GN Global team and the Hewlett Foundation as funders and supporters. I am grateful for the ongoing support mechanisms and the personal care that empower the global and local work of open writing and knowledge creation. I had the privilege of supporting a collective process of editing for the stories in the book and managing the technical elements of Pressbooks design to the best of my abilities. If there is anything you see when you read that you feel might be improved, please reach out to me or the writers and we can discuss changes as desired (jenni.hayman@gmail.com).
Led collaboratively by Darrion Letendre (whom some of you may remember as a keynote speaker at OEGlobal 2023 in Edmonton), Connie Blomgren, Aga Palalas, and Emily Grady (with support from Athabasca University), the GO-GN Canada collective formed in summer 2025 to provide a space and opportunity for Indigenous and Canadian colleagues to connect with each other on a theme of Indigenous-led land-based learning. This project was a reconciliation-focused event (in the context of National Truth and Reconciliation in Canada) where a small group of academics (a mix of doctoral students, faculty, and staff from various post-secondary contexts) were invited to join an Indigenous land-based leader (Darrion Letendre) and an Indigenous Elder (Lance Scout) at one of Canada’s national parks. Our collective goal was to learn what the land and colleagues had to offer. The main event of our Hub took place in September 2025 over three days at the Cultural Use Area in Jasper National Park. This area is designated by park policy for Indigenous use only (and by extension those that are invited by Indigenous community members).
The open book that emerged from this land-based learning experience is a reflection of individual learning and group conversations before and after the Jasper National Park adventure. It is an unusual collection of open stories for several reasons. The stories are personal, and that is a reflection of the type of learning that has occurred among GO-GN Canada group members on and off the land, with thoughtful leadership from Indigenous colleagues, and throughout this year in our conversations. The usefulness to others that might read this open book will be unexpected and, in my opinion, very much worth exploring.
An important concept when reading the book is that not all of the details of what happens in Indigenous-led, in-person teaching moments is appropriate to share openly. Not all Indigenous shared knowledge can be adapted or remixed (which is why the book uses mixed licensing), and not all writers wish to use CC-BY or other very open licenses. Because every Indigenous learning leader is unique, and their knowledge, how they received their knowledge, and their responsibilities as knowledge-keepers are unique, there are no set rules about what is and is not allowed to be shared. Permission to share is discussed in the moment and respect for what is and is not allowed is a learning recipient responsibility. What is shared in our open book is what was asked and decided as a dialogue among friends.
Within the book, you will be introduced to everyone in the collective that was able to contribute to the storytelling and resources. The stories are a mix of the personal experiences of hearing the Truth of Indigenous experiences (past and ongoing) in Canada, the preliminary processing of what that Truth might mean to individuals in the contexts of care, love, and reconciliation, and experiences of being on the land, learning from the land, and some of what that might mean in the contexts of research and open education. I mention love very intentionally. Love is not written about as often as it might be in academic and open contexts. I will speak for myself here––but you can probably hear it in all of the stories of this book––through this experience of being on the land with Indigenous learning leaders, with long-time friends, and new open colleagues, I have gained a renewed sense of what it means to lead with love in open education. I have new relations, two new brothers in Darrion and Lance, and a renewed sense of purpose in my work as a climate change education leader. Since September 2025 many wild and amazing things have occurred in my professional work and lifelong learning journeys that I believe would not have happened had I not had the privilege of learning with Darrion, Lance, and my GO-GN Canada colleagues. To say that I am deeply grateful for every moment of this experience and the co-creation of this book is an enormous understatement. I invite you to enter this digital world of collective storytelling and see for yourself.
Open Education in a Good Way: Rediscovering Together on the Land
