Integrating openness in course design

Based on a presentation “Moving to OER at Athabasca University: An Institutional Strategy” given

at the Open Education Conference, Vancouver(October 18, 2012)

Cindy Ives, Mary Pringle,

Rodger Graham, Chris Manuel

Centre for Learning Design and Development

October 25, 2012

Why?

• Low learner persistence in DOL• To enhance motivation, engagement

– Learning activities approach– Opportunity for growth in information literacy– Practical way to enrich learner experience

• Philosophical commitment to all things open

How?

• Integrated plan (see http://cldd.athabascau.ca/open-educational-resources/plan.php) captures all initiatives

• Inventory of OER (objects, activities, courses)• Survey of perspectives• Conversations with academics about digital

resources generally• OCW commitments• Learning design approach: interaction with content

Tactical Solution 1

• Develop Flash activity “engines”– Maintain all content external to the Flash activity

• Images, video, audio, text and layout

• Cross-compile using Flash Builder– Flash Player web plug-in (all major browsers, including pre-HTML5)– iOS native apps– Android AIR apps– OS-X and Windows AIR apps

• Migrate activity engines to HTML5/Javascript– Content is reusable from Flash activities

Tactical Solution 2

• Use Office applications for content development– Office adheres to Open Office XML

• Import and display content at run-time from the original document– PowerPoint (.pptx) web renderer– Currently a Flash app, will migrate to HTML5 in 2013

• Add custom layer of interactivity over the basic content– Learning Tree from previous slide will be revised to accept Visio (.vsdx)

input

Tactical Solution 3

• Other course development practices• e.g. copyright

– Online permissions only– Using Fair Dealing as appropriate– Using open access resources (research, textbooks)

• Finding, creating, adapting OERs (and sharing)

Challenges

• Challenges to address:– Quality issues– Implications for workload– Recognition and compensation– Moving beyond isolated cases of use, adaptation and

creation to systemic design approaches– Orienting and involving students– Personal interest and social conscience; case by case

approach

Lessons learned

• Content preparation using common software• Learning from mistakes in course design• Systemic changes needed• Technical expertise for creation and

adaptation critical• Other