Collaborating across borders: OER use and open educational practices within the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth

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, [email protected] @laperryman

John Lesperance, VUSSC/Commonwealth of [email protected] @COL4D

Presented at OE Global 2015 ConferenceBanff, Canada, 21-­25 April 2015

Intro to VUSSC

Network of 32 small developing states committed to collaboratively developing OER

Co-­ordinated by Commonwealth of Learning

Intro to VUSSC

Use of OERRH questions Comparison with OERRH global dataset

20 follow-­up Skype interviews

Met

hods

The sample

18 countries72% of respondents identified English as their first spoken language

25%

68%

7%

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 for pedagogical development

OER used to increase educational inclusion

OER used as materials for learners

OER used for subject-­related development

To enhance my professional development

To connect with teachers with similar

interests

VUSSC Indian educators OpenLearn Saylor.org

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%

Broadened coverage of the curriculum

Use a broader range of teaching and learning methods

More use of culturally diverse resources

More up-­to-­date knowledge of subject area

Reflecting more on teaching

More frequently comparing

teaching with that of others

Using OER study to develop my teaching

Collaborate more with colleagues

VUSSC Indian educators OpenLearn Saylor.org

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%

Increased interest in the subjects taught

Grades improving

Gaining confidence

Increased independence and self-­reliance

Increased experimentation with new ways of

learning

Increased collaboration with

peers

Being more likely to complete my course of study

VUSSC formal learners Indian formal learners OpenLearn-­using formal learners Saylor.org-­using formal learners

The BOCODOL case study

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%

What next? Future development of VUSSC

Future research: case studies;; more analysis against new model (Perryman & Seal, 2015)

A new model of OER engagement in development contexts

Thank you for listening

Leigh-Anne Perryman, The Open University, [email protected] @laperryman

John Lesperance, VUSSC/Commonwealth of [email protected] @COL4D