1. Behind the scene with OpenLearn – the challenges in the provision of open educational resources Andreia Inamorato dos Santos OpenLearn a.i.santos@open.ac.uk

2. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 Overview of the talk □Background of the project □Introduction to OpenLearn website □Learning with OpenLearn(tools) □Research Issues: design and implementation □Research Collaboration □Sustainability Issues: new directions

3. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 About OpenLearn  US$ 10 million  Mostly funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation  Initial project funded for 2 years  In line with the OU Mission: to widening participation in higher education

4. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 What is OpenLearn? OpenLearn is the OU-UK initiative to provide educational materials online free of charge. Goals: ● to reach 5.400 hours of study materials until April 2008 ● to provide a space for users to remix materials and upload their own versions ● to provide a space which enables the formation of communities of practice

5. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 ✔ Content in 11 subject areas ✔ Units of 3-15 study hours ✔ Learning outcomes ✔ Self-assessment activities ✔ Discussion Forums ✔ Learning journals ✔ MSG and Compendium ✔ Unit downloads ✔ Re-upload content ✔ Tools for online collaboration - MSG - Flashmeeting - Compendium

6. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007

7. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 OpenLearn Research Producing:  How to transform for open content?  What tools do we need?  Can we bring in content from the world?  Do we give new life to things the world values? Learning:  Do we have users?  Can we reach the world?  What do they do?  Does anyone learn anything?

8. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 Activity System - Engeström

9. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 Design view

10. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 Implementation view

11. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 Design & Implementation contradictions Academic team/ Media team and OU staff – who has final sign off Users- XML Editor Models for unit production

12. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 Moving beyond the contradictions.... Who has the final sign off? Sign-off process removed. Improve after release Users of XML editor Add in other formats and models Models for unit production Include new factors in the target

13. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 Does the analysis help? ● Behind the scenes: based on observation ● Presentation tool to others: feedback and refinement ● Method for recording factors ● Applied in other situations and projects ● Remains to be validated for this case

14. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 OpenLearn Research Producing:  How to transform for open content?  What tools do we need?  Can we bring in content from the world?  Do we give new life to things the world values? Learning:  Do we have users?  Can we reach the world?  What do they do?  Does anyone learn anything?

15. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 Research collaboration Collaboration with Brazil:  translation of openlearn units  cross-cultural issues (context, language, institutional discourses and policies)  Two phases: implementation 1 and 2  Method: drawing on ethnography and action research  Formal and informal learning

16. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 Researching Sustainability ● What new funding models to adopt? Value to the OU? ● To rely on external funding or try to be self-sustainable? Or maybe both? Value to the world? ● What needs to change?

17. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 In summary...  Background of the project  Introduction to OpenLearn website  Learning with OpenLearn(tools)  OpenLearn Research: design and implementation  Research Collaboration  Sustainability Issues: new directions

18. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 OpenLearn Conference Researching Open Content in Education Call for papers 30-31st October 2007

19. Andreia Inamorato dos Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uk 23rd May 2007 Open for discussion.... OpenLearn Research and Evaluation The Open University- IET Walton Hall Milton Keynes MK7 6AA Andreia Santos a.i.santos@open.ac.uka.i.santos@open.ac.uk Patrick McAndrew (research director) p.mcandrew@open.ac.uk Thank you!