Open Educational Resources (OER) development, adaptation and use

Authors: A.Texeira, L.Morgado, Universidade Aberta, Portugal; A.A.Fuente, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain

Having successfully completed all training material, you will be able to:

  • understand the Open Educational Resources and Open education Practices
  • describe/identify specific characteristics of OER
  • describe the evolution of the OER movement
  • find, select, assess an OER
  • use an OER in a VM context
  • produce/reuse an OER for a  VM context

Unit 1. OER/OEP concept, history and contexts

1.2.3 How to integrate and assess User-Generated Content?

Quality in OER is the expression of the educational value of the resources. How these open resources may allow full access to quality learning experiences for all?

TYPES OF OPEN CONTENT RESOURCES AVAILABLE (Teixeira, 2012)

1st Generation – Open Course Ware

Free access to materials produced by high-profile education institutions in order to support face-to-face teaching;

2nd Generation – Open Content Resources

Free access to materials produced by single or network education institutions or editors in order to support autonomous independent learning in the context of open learning, distance learning or e-learning;

3rd Generation – User Generated Content

Free access by expert individuals or organizations to materials produced for independent learning for use and redesign.

TYPES OF CURRENT OPEN EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES (Teixeira, 2012)

1st Level – Non formal use and reuse

            Free access materials are used for learning by independent learners, whom can also edit it and change the material’s content sharing it with the community;

2nd Level – Formal certification of non-formal use

            Independent learning done through the use of free materials can be subject to formal certification by an Educational Institution;

3rd Level – Formal use and reuse

            Institutions and teachers can use and reuse free available materials in its own courses, being material pre-validated by another school or an HEI, or after its own formal validation process.

QUALITY CRITERIA FOCUS IN OER

(Teixeira, 2015)

1st Generation/Level – Content reputability and technological access

            Focus in early days was on the scientific value of the materials and the their technological accessibility;

2nd Generation/Level – Learning design and student support

            Focus shifts to the pedagogical value of the materials and how they are prepared to allow for significant learning experiences;

3rd Generation/Level – Assessment and collaboration

            Focus is now on assuring validation of learning experiences and how they generate massive interaction.