Redefining openness: a vision for Open Practices Gráinne Conole, The Open University, UK Keynote, EFQUEL Conference, Lisbon, 9 th September 2010

+ Orientation Open, social and participatory media A vision of openness – Open Practices Designing and using OER Olnet OPAL Open Educational Resource Practices (OEP) Definition Derivation The OPAL OEP quality cube Focus Social inclusion InnovationQuality

Web 2.0 Sharing Communicating Networking Interacting Media sharing Blogs & wikis Social networking Virtual worlds New tools/practices are leading to new forms of learning and teaching Shift from: Web 1.0 – content repository and static information Web 2.0 – user generated content and social mediation Shift from: Web 1.0 – content repository and static information Web 2.0 – user generated content and social mediation Open, social and participatory media

A typology of new technologies TechnologyExamples Media sharingFlckr, YouTube, Slideshare, Sketchfu Media manipulation and mash upsGeotagged photos on maps, Voicethread Instant messaging, chat, web 2.0 forumsMSN, Paltalk, Arguementum Online games and virtual worldsWorldofWarcraft, SecondLife Social networkingFacebook, Myspace, Linkedin, Elgg, Ning BloggingWordpress, Edublog, Twitter Social bookmarkingDel.icio.us, Citeulike, Zotero Recommender systemsDigg, LastFm, Stumbleupon Wikis and collaborative editing toolsWikipedia, GoogleDocs, Bubbl.us Syndication/RSS feedsBloglines, Podcast, GoogleReader (Conole and Alevizou, 2010), Review of Web 2.0 tools in Higher Education

Redefining openness… Design Courses design & shared openly Design Courses design & shared openly Delivery Use of free tools & resources Delivery Use of free tools & resources Evaluation Critical reflection Evaluation Critical reflection Research Sharing of research data Research Sharing of research data Open practices Peer critiquing SharingRepurposing Collective intelligence NetworkingInquiry What is/will be the impact of an increasingly open technologically mediated learning environment in learning and teaching? Also see Alex Couros, Edmedia, 2010

Digital skills (Jenkins, et al., 2008) Play Performance Appropriation Multi-tasking Distributed cognition Collective intelligence Judgment Transmedia navigation Networking Simulation Visualisation Negotiation

Basic definition The open provision of educational resources, enabled by information and communication technologies, for consultation, use and adaptation by a community of users for non-commercial purposes (UNESCO 2002) Broader definition Learning resources Courseware, content modules, learning objects, learner support & assessment tools, online learning communities Resources to support teachers Tools for teachers and support materials to enable them to create, adapt and use OER; training materials for teachers Resources to assure the quality of education and educational practices (UNESCO 2004)

Pedagogically rich

Level of granularity ‘Atomistic’: based around learning objects (Merlot) ‘Holistic: aligned to course structures (MIT) Format Simple, primarily text-based Rich multi-faceted multimedia Pedagogy Relatively neutral Embedded OER models

A vision of transformation Beyond content – focus on activity and use Learners as self-directed and autonomous More of a focus on sharing, refinement, iteration, critical reflection OER as a potential catalyst to transforming educational practice Improvements in social inclusion, quality and innovation Beyond content – focus on activity and use Learners as self-directed and autonomous More of a focus on sharing, refinement, iteration, critical reflection OER as a potential catalyst to transforming educational practice Improvements in social inclusion, quality and innovation

The reality gap Paradoxes Technologies not fully exploited Little evidence of use of OER Predominance of ‘old practices’ Paradoxes Technologies not fully exploited Little evidence of use of OER Predominance of ‘old practices’ Media sharing Blogs & wikis Reasons Technical, pedagogical, organisational… “Lack of time, research vs. teaching, lack of skills, no rewards, no support….” Reasons Technical, pedagogical, organisational… “Lack of time, research vs. teaching, lack of skills, no rewards, no support….” Solutions? Models and frameworks Learning design Pedagogical patterns Open Educational Resources Solutions? Models and frameworks Learning design Pedagogical patterns Open Educational Resources Virtual worlds & online games Social networking

Exploring/applying “openness” Open Design Courses design & shared openly Design Courses design & shared openly Delivery Use of free tools & resources Delivery Use of free tools & resources Evaluation Critical reflection Evaluation Critical reflection Research Sharing of research data Research Sharing of research data

Open Design Open Research X-Delia Open Evaluation Open Delivery

Cloudworks A space for sharing and discussing learning and teaching ideas Application of web 2.0 practice Examples for teachers & learners to share/discuss A space for collaboration & communication Helps develop skills needed for engaging with new technologies’

Core Improvements Discussions Author Tags Location Title

Olnet: Open Learning network Network Research Fellowships From producing open resources to use of open resources Build capacity Find evidence Refine the issues Conole, McAndrew & Demtriadis, Forthcoming

Learning analytics: gather & representing data Conference, Canada, February 2011

Conole, McAndrew & Demtriadis, Forthcoming

Teacher A OER Design Creates Deposits Learner A OER Design Learner B Teacher B Chooses Uses Quiz + beginners route Uses Quiz + advanced route Repurposes & deposits

From resources to practices

The OPAL vision 22 Open Educational Resource Practice OEP constitute the range of practices around the creation, use and management of OER with the intent to improve quality and innovate education. Open Educational Resource Practice OEP constitute the range of practices around the creation, use and management of OER with the intent to improve quality and innovate education. Focus on the practice around OER rather than the resources Better understanding will lead to improvements in the quality of OER and more innovation Focus on the practice around OER rather than the resources Better understanding will lead to improvements in the quality of OER and more innovation

Abstracting dimensions of Practice Approach 60+ case studies of OER collected Dimensions of OEP derived Derivation of the OEP cube model Approach 60+ case studies of OER collected Dimensions of OEP derived Derivation of the OEP cube model Validation Spotlight on OER on Cloudworks EDEN workshop OER activity on Cloudworks Ongoing online consultation process Validation Spotlight on OER on Cloudworks EDEN workshop OER activity on Cloudworks Ongoing online consultation process

Validation: OER activity on Cloudworks 27 Cloudscapes and 13 Clouds evaluated Kinds of activities Reviews, events, debates, other Intentional, practical, social Types of Clouds Instructional, informational, archival Notes, resource aggregator, project descriptions, discussion & debate spaces, interviews Alevizou et al. 2010

Emergent issues from OER research Motivations for sharing and incentives for participation Financial sustainability and licensing jurisdictions OER tracking, usage patterns and users motivations Quality and credentials Effectiveness metrics Types of research and dissemination of empirical results Linking research with policy and practice

The OEP cube model THE DIMENSION: What? Strategies and Policies Barriers and Success Factors Tools and Tool Practices Skills Development and Support THE CONTEXT: Where? Macro level (society) Meso level (organisation) Micro level (individuals) MATURITY: How well is it established? Initial (not yet started) Managed Defined Optimizing (embedded / advanced) DIMENSION CONTEXT MATURITY 26

Refining the dimension 27 Strategies & Policies Barriers and Success Factors Tools & tool practices Skills Development & Support QA models Partnership Models Business Models Sustainability Strategies Barriers Success Factors Tools Tool Practices Digital Literacy Support structures and processes 12 skills of evolving digital literacy Henry Jenkins CYBERLEARNING REPORT DIMENSION CONTEXT MATURITY

Maturity View INITIAL (not yet started): Process unpredictable, poorly controlled and reactive MANAGED: Process characterized for projects and is often reactive. DEFINED: Process characterized for the organisation and is proactive (Projects tailor their process from the organisation’s standard) OPTIMIZING (embedded / advanced): Process is measured and controlled, the focus on process improvement 28 DIMENSION CONTEXT MATURITY

The cube model 29 Macro-level: Societal Meso-level: Organisation Micro-level: Individual Levels Strategies & policies Barriers & success factors Tools & tool practices Skills Dev & Support Dimensions OER embedded in strategy Institutional OER repository Adapted from diagram by T. Koskinen Level of maturity Optimizing Defined Managed Initial

Uses and benefits Three uses Benchmarking Guidance Reflection and comparison Benefits Guides users in understanding how to think about the key issues. Flexible enough to cover the multiple stakeholders Sub-cubes provide practical illustrative examples Useful as a mechanism for institutions to self- benchmark 30

Mapping the case studies 31 MicroMesoMacro Strategies and policies Personal motivations and goals Institutional strategies and policies in place Embedded in national policy and funding Barriers and success factors Tension between research and teaching Lack of appropriate structure Lack of funding or rewards Tools and tool practices Use of web 2.0 tools to discuss OER Institutional OER repository National repository available Skills development and support Peer review and discussion Institutional workshops on OER Hewett OER projects and OCW

Final thoughts Learning and the context of learning have changed We need new approaches to learning and teaching How can we harness increasingly sophisticated tools and OERs? How can we support innovation in the use and reuse of OER? Will openness enable or restrict social inclusion? What are the quality implications in an increasingly open context? How can we ensure research better informs policy and practice? A vision of OEP for inclusion, innovation & quality

Sources Mash ups Molecule Periodic table Music sheet One world World of warcraft Questionmark Yin-Yang image Imperial collage second life island Personal Inquiry project E-Portfolios

Sources OpenLearningInitiative Molecule Periodic table Music sheet One world World of warcraft Questionmark Crystal ball

Sources iPhone eBook readers