The open educational resources initiative has been underway for over a decade now and higher education institutions are slowly adopting open educational resources (OER).The use and creation of OER are important aspects of adoption and both are needed for the benefits of OER to be fully realized. Based on the results of a survey developed to measure the readiness of faculty and staff to adopt OER, this paper focuses on the measurement of OER use and creation, and identifies factors to increase both. The survey was administered in September 2012 to faculty and staff of Athabasca University,Canada's open university. The results offer a snapshot of OER use and creation at one university. The survey tool could provide a mechanism to compare and contrast OER adoption with other higher education institutions. Forty-three percent of those in the sample are using OER and 31% are creating OER. This ratio of use to creation is introduced as a possible metric to measure adoption.
In this paper, the investigator attempts to create a comprehensive listing of learning object repositories (LORs) and address the following research questions:1. What types of LORs are available on the Internet? 2. What are the principal features of these LORs? 3. What features are more or less universal and which are specific to certain types of repositories? 4. With the vast amounts of information available on the Internet, is there a need for LORs? BackgroundLORs are becoming important resources for both learners and instructors as the quantity and quality of the learning objects (LOs) increases. The recycling and re-use of learning resources encapsulated as LOs in standardsbased repositories can significantly increase the cost effectiveness of both online and blended education. With wise and considered implementation and integration of LOs and the removal of intellectual property barriers, we can reduce what is perhaps the largest barrier to participation in higher education, namely, the high and growing individual and societal cost, while increasing quality and opening up mass participation in learning. In order to take full advantage of LOs, instructors, developers and learners need to know about LORs and have some training in how to make optimal use of them. The best strategies for incorporating components into lessons and LOs into modules and courses have yet to be identified, yet there is growing evidence that LOs can be used effectively (Flexible Learning
This article provides university leaders an introduction to the emerging micro-credentials field, including a snapshot of the global landscape. Despite the accelerated interest in micro-credentials, this article also raises a fundamental strategic question for leaders at the outset: Are micro-credentials right for our university? Part I discusses the basic elements of mcro-credentials, definitions, types of micro-credentials, and affordances and barriers and various providers of micro-credentials. Part II presents a snapshot of what is happening on the global playing field and the challenges inherent in trying to standardise micro-credentials globally. The final section of the article provides some general observations by the authors, lessons from practice, and brief example of how institutions may implement a strategic reset using micro-credentials. The authors close by emphasising micro-credentials are not a panacea for resolving institutional challenges and they are unlikely to become a major revenue enhancement. They may provide strategic value in their integration with other major institutional initiatives.
This paper highlights the preliminary findings of a one-year research project (2011) that investigated the fit of recognizing prior learning (RPL) practice and related assessment and transfer protocols to projected OER use, especially by the Open Educational Resource University (OERu), a newly-formed consortium of like-minded institutions located worldwide. Across a study that included 31 post secondary institutions from 10 countries, findings indicated both consistencies and inconsistencies in the treatment of RPL. While most institutions reflected the intent of honoring learners' prior learning, achieved informally or non-formally, institutions were bound by internal policy and structure in terms of protocols. The relationship of transfer credit opportunities to engaging with learners in preparing RPL documents for assessment was also varied. Broad disparities in fee information made it difficult to determine what the actual costs of various protocols would be for learners. OERu will continue to search for innovative approaches to providing universal and collaborative education, globally, to non-traditional learners.
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