The OpenLearn Project Professor David Vincent President, European Association of Distance Teaching Universities Pro-Vice Chancellor, The Open University.

2 The Open University Project OpenLearn $10m Project, $8.9m grant from William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Launch: October 25, 2006

3 Mission of the UK Open University The Open University is open to people, places, methods and ideas. It promotes educational opportunity and social justice by providing high-quality university education to all who wish to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential. Through academic research, pedagogic innovation and collaborative partnership it seeks to be a world leader in the design, content and delivery of supported open and distance learning.

4 OpenLearn “The philosophy of open access and sharing knowledge is a wonderful fit with the founding principles of The Open University and with the University’s very strong commitment to open educational access and widening participation. The University will be developing forms of open content e-learning which will reach less experienced learners and, we hope, encourage an appetite for further learning.” Professor Brenda Gourley Vice-Chancellor of The Open University

5 Goals of OpenLearn To make some of The Open University’s distance learning materials freely accessible in an international web-based open content environment and, in so doing, to advance open content delivery method technologies by: Deploying leading-edge learning management tools for learner support; Encouraging the creation of non-formal collaborative learning communities; and Enhancing international research-based knowledge about modern pedagogies for higher education.

6 OpenLearn Goals Utilise Moodle as the VLE platform; Develop two complementary sites: the Learning Space the Lab Space Have 900 learning hours in the Learning Space for initial launch in October 2006 rising to 5400 hours at the end of two years; Make a further 8100 hours of material available within the Lab Space at the end of two years. Add a range of open source collaborative learning tools to the Lab Space devised by our Knowledge Media Institute.

7 Learning Space Structure based on ‘read only’ content supplemented by informal learning tools in Moodle such as learning journal, discussion groups, bookmarking, etc. Deliver through Moodle as resources plus activities Mix of web authored, audiovisual and print authored content as units of study Range of media asset types and activities Units of size 3 to 20 hours user engagement Inclusion of quality assured material from the Lab Space

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9 Lab Space Supply ‘read only’ content from Learning Space Supply less well structured content from archives Allow retrieval, editing, revision Allow re-depositing of new version Allow depositing of material generated by other creators Research zone Collaborative social computing tools Fostering learning communities Giving online teaching and learning a social life

10 FOR LEARNERS AND EDUCATORS Learningspace PLUS new content, versions, tools

11 Sense making tools Collaborative social computing tools Fostering learning communities –Educators –Learners –Other Users Giving teaching and learning a social life

12 Benefits to learners Testbed for improving study skills; Sample HE study before enrolling; Pursue in depth a topic that interests them; Discuss topics and share experiences with others; Refresh/update knowledge or skills Keep a personal record of what they have done.

13 Benefits to educators Investigate OU approach to teaching a particular topic; Download Units incorporation into courses; Reversion and localise Units for their own purposes; Share materials and ideas with other educators; Collaborate with others in developing new OERs.

14 Testing the Possibilities The practice of informal learning The transition from informal to formal Content and learning management tools Widening access Lifelong learning The wisdom of the university crowd Content and the university business model Sustainability

15 May LearningSpace Hours 4504 LabSpace Hours 23-25,000 Unique Visitors a Week 1m+ a year 93% non-OU students

16 Top 10 Units Exploring distance time graphs Diversity and difference in communication Manufacturing The Enlightenment Exploring data: graphs and numerical summaries Children and violence: an introductory, international and interdisciplinary approach English grammar in context Early development Global warming An introduction to business cultures

17 The Sustainability Debate Dan Atkins, John Seely Brown, Allen Hammond, Review of the Open Educational Resources (OER) Movement: Achievements, Challenges and New Opportunities (February, 2007). Andy Lane, The Open Content Initiative: Sustainability – boon or burden (December 2005) Stephen Downes, Models for Sustaining Open Educational Resources (January 2006) David Wiley, On the Sustainability of Open Education Resource Initiatives in Higher Education (September, 2006)

18 Funding Models Downes: Endownment Membership Donations Contributors Pay Sponsorship Institutional Governmental Dholakai: Replacement Foundation Segmentation Voluntary Support

19 PUBLIC GOOD x3x3 x1x1 x2x2 INSTITUTIONAL GOOD SOCIAL GOOD x4x4 State/Donor /Replacement Funding. Sponsorship/Development Funding Purchased Services/Advertising The Model of Sustainability

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