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Collaborating across borders: OER use
and open educational practices within
the Virtual University for Small States
of the Commonwealth
Leigh-Anne Perryman, The Open University, UK
[email protected] @laperryman
John Lesperance, VUSSC/Commonwealth of Learning
[email protected] @COL4D
Presented at OE Global 2015 Conference
Banff, Canada, 21-25 April 2015
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Intro to VUSSC
● Network of 32 small developing states
committed to collaboratively developing OER
● Co-ordinated by Commonwealth of Learning
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● Use of OERRH questions
● Comparison with OERRH
global dataset
● 20 follow-up Skype
interviews
Meth
od
s
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The
sample72% of
respondents
identified
English as
their first
spoken
language
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Educators’ use of OER (1)
88%
66%
72%
90%
94%
56%
89%
77% 77%
97% 98%
74%
60%
42%
36%
66% 65%
37%
47%
22% 23%
51%53%
20%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
OER used forpedagogicaldevelopment
OER used to increaseeducational inclusion
OER used as materialsfor learners
OER used for subject-related development
To enhance myprofessionaldevelopment
To connect withteachers with similar
interests
VUSSC Indian educators OpenLearn Saylor.org
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Educators’ use of OER (2)
80%
86%
52%
87%
80%
41%
54%56%
80%
76%
63%
78% 77%
57%
73%
51%
66%
61%
44%
63%
58%
41%
51%
30%
55% 56%
41%
60%
53%
39%
44%
36%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Broadenedcoverage of the
curriculum
Use a broaderrange of teaching
and learningmethods
More use ofculturally diverse
resources
More up-to-dateknowledge ofsubject area
Reflecting moreon teaching
More frequentlycomparing
teaching with thatof others
Using OER studyto develop my
teaching
Collaborate morewith colleagues
VUSSC Indian educators OpenLearn Saylor.org
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Impact of OER on formal learners100%
90% 91% 92%90%
80%
91%
80%
46%
85%
79%
86%
62%64%
72%
36%
65%
56%
67%
29%
58%58%
32%
50%48% 48%
19%
41%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Increasedinterest in the
subjects taught
Gradesimproving
Gainingconfidence
Increasedindependence
and self-reliance
Increasedexperimentationwith new ways of
learning
Increasedcollaboration with
peers
Being more likelyto complete mycourse of study
VUSSC formal learners Indian formal learners OpenLearn-using formal learners Saylor.org-using formal learners
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The BOCODOL case study
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Challenges to OER use
Educators Formal
learners
Finding OER relevant to my context 87% 80%
Knowing where to find OER 77% 82%
Finding OER in my subject area 76% 82%
Technical problems 71% 80%
Insufficient time to find OER 73% 67%
Finding quality OER 70% 82%
No connections with OER-using
peers
62% 57%
Finding up-to-date OER 56% 73%
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What next?
● Future development of VUSSC
● Future research: case studies; more analysis
against new model (Perryman & Seal, 2015)
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A new model of OER engagement in
development contexts
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Thank you for listening
Leigh-Anne Perryman, The Open University, UK
[email protected] @laperryman
John Lesperance, VUSSC/Commonwealth of Learning
[email protected] @COL4D