OER in The Netherlands

Robert Schuwer

29 October 2009, Sao Paolo

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Context

2006 start of OER in The Netherlands 2007 Initiative TU Delft 2008 expansion 2009 realisation of national

initiative

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Agenda

Institutional initiatives OpenER @ OUNL and beyond Spinoza @ OUNL

National initiative Wikiwijs

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Open Universiteit

one of 14 universities in NL with a specific Profile:

Lifelong, Open, and Flexible (LOF) learning• one of 10 universities for LOF learning in Europe

(e.g. UK OU, UOC, …) over 20.000 students celebrating 25th anniversary this year

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Open Universiteit (2)

Bachelor / Master / PhD programmes

(fully accredited) from seven Schools: Cultural Sciences Informatics / Computing Law Management Sciences Natural Sciences Psychology Educational Sciences

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Open Universiteit (3)

Expertise centres:> Learning Sciences and Technology (CELSTEC,

formerly OTEC) > Professional development of teachers

(Ruud de Moor Centre)> Education for Sustainable Development

(RCE Rhine-Meuse)> Lifelong Learning (Netherlands Laboratory for

Lifelong Learning - NELLL)

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Institutional: OpenER@OUNL

Objectives:

> lowering thresholds for access to formal HE> widening and increasing participation in HE

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Means

> large-scale offering of high-quality short open courses developed for self-study (1 EC each (about 25 hrs))

> ‘portal of temptation’ to HE> bridging informal learning and formal education

by official examination options(earning Bachelor credits)

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Fundings

The Directorate Learning and Working, established by the Dutch Ministery of Education, Culture and Science and the Ministery of Social Affairs

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation To a total of approx. €660,000.

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Measurements

Main question:

Did OpenER had any effect on participation in Higher Education?

Photo by Xurble @ Flickr.com

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Some figures

Launch on December 5, 2006 generated a lot of publicity

Close to 1.000.000 visitors 12% returning 25 courses online (4 – 45 hours / course) 5700 users registered voluntarily Costs for creation €3000 - €30,000 Formally ended June 2008

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Proof of the pudding

Question on electronic order form for regular OUNL courses:

Was taking a free OpenER course a cause to order this course?

About 10% answered yes.

Photo by kochtopf @ Flickr.com

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Three key best practices

Rely on quality awareness of authors Authors are already used to making self study

material Support of top management is crucial Producing open courses should be a regular task

at faculties Higher delivery reliability Not dependant on few enthusiastic people

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Main question remaining

Sustainability: business model for offering free courses Can it ever be without grants? Someone has to pay for it

Photo by tj scenes @ Flickr.com

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stOER (Dutch for tough)

Way forward with OpenER @ OUNL:

> financial concerns about full OER strategy> sustainable (?!) three-shell model

> Each course an OER?

> now starting with piloting this model In touch with the Ministry of Education:

> fall-back ‘guarantee’ scenario?

Photo @ http://www.sixthman.net/blog/2008/12/

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Extension: Spinoza series

> eminent Dutch researchers (winners of a Spinoza Premium) bring their body of thought and views to a broad public

> role model for all researchers in NL> international exposure of NL top research?

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Means

develop and offer OpenER courses with all its qualities self-study, activating, interactive, different media, etcetera

work with Spinoza Premium laureates

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Spinoza Series, continued …

Main outcomes: launch Nov. 2008 at Spinoza Ceremony collaboration OUNL - NWO (Netherlands

Organisation for Scientific Research) ‘Hall of Fame’ … two courses so far:

- Frits van Oostrom: Mediaeval Literature

- Johan van Benthem: Logic in Action

(to be published also in English) much interest among Spinoza laureates …

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National initiative: Wikiwijs

• Cause

> observed success of OER initiatives shown> an increasing set of a variety of OER initiatives

in all educational sectors> recent policy of ‘schoolbooks for free’> Sept. 2008: Advice of the Education Council to

the Parliament: ‘Make more use of OER for innovation of education’

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National initiative: Wikiwijs

• In Action … as of Dec. 2008> Minister of Education

launches Wikiwijs as a national OER initiative:- initial focus on primary, secondary and community college education- but actually for all educational sectors

> April 2009: broad support in Parliament> May 2009: OUNL & Kennisnet start preparing

this programme> July 2009: delivery Programme Plan> 12th Aug. 2009: Minister’s final OK; submission

to Parliament

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Wikiwijs: policy objectives …

stimulate development and use of OER improve access to both open and ‘closed’ digital

learning materials support teachers in arranging their own learning

materials and professionalization increase teacher involvement in development and

use of OER extend options for customized education increase quality of education through more flexible

and up-to-date learning materials

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Wikiwijs will offer …

a Repository of open educational resources a Referatory to digital educational resources:

> open and closed> free access and access to be paid for> public and commercial

easy to use arrangement and development tools for teachers / professors

end-user support for teachers / professors when creating and using learning materials

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Wikiwijs: what’s in a name …

Wikiwijs is referring to the philosophy of Wikipedia (using ‘the wisdom of the crowds’)

Wikiwijs is not referring to the functionality or user interface of Wikipedia

Photo by throwthedamnthing @ Flickr.com

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Wikiwijs: planning … Dec. 2009: launch of beta version with:

> three focus subjects> secondary, primary, community college sector

as of Sept. 2010: start of roll out to:> other subjects and domains> other educational sectors

Jan. 2011: delivery of Implementation Planfor the years ahead …

Photo@geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/2008/07/

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Wikiwijs: basic principles …

maximum (free!) use of existing components of OUNL, Kennisnet and other publicly funded educational organizations

open standards and open source mandatory all OER learning materials and materials for

professionalization to be published under CC-BY professionalization of both

teachers and management!

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Wikiwijs: on quality …

Beyond ‘Wisdom of the crowds’: peer review

(uploading only through a user profile) adoption organizations / groups

(compare Connexions) competent participants

(through professionalization)

Photo by JoeBeone @ Flickr.com

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Thanks for your attention!

Robert.Schuwer@ou.nl

www.opener.ou.nl

www.spinoza.ou.nl

www.wikiwijs.nl

Thanks to Fred Mulder for his input