Developing sustainable business models for institutions’ provision of open educational resources: Learning from OpenLearn users’ motivations and experiences

Universities across the globe have, for some time, been exploring the possibilities for achieving public benefit and generating business and visibility through releasing and sharing open educational resources (OER). Many have written about the need to develop sustainable and profitable business models around the production and release of OER. Downes (2006), for example, has questioned the financial sustainability of OER production at scale. Many of the proposed business models focus on OER’s value in generating revenue and detractors of OER have questioned whether they are in competition with formal education. This paper reports on a study intended to broaden the conversation about OER business models to consider the motivations and experiences of OER users as the basis for making a better informed decision about whether OER and formal learning are competitive or complementary with each other. The study focused on OpenLearn - the Open University’s (OU) web-based platform for OER, which hosts hundreds of online courses and videos and is accessed by over 3,000,000 users a year. A large scale survey and follow-up interviews with OpenLearn users worldwide revealed that university provided OER can offer learners a bridge to formal education, allowing them to try out a subject before registering on a formal course and to build confidence in their abilities as learners. In addition, it was found that using OER during formal paid-for study can improve learners’ performance and self-reliance, leading to increased retention and satisfaction with the learning experience

Open educational resources for all? Comparing user motivations and characteristics across The Open University’s iTunes U channel and OpenLearn platform.

With the rise in access to mobile multimedia devices, educational institutions have exploited the iTunes U platform as an additional channel to provide free educational resources with the aim of profile-raising and breaking down barriers to education. For those prepared to invest in content preparation, it is possible to produce interactive, portable material that can be made available globally. Commentators have questioned both the financial implications for platform-specific content production, and the availability of devices for learners to access it (Osborne, 2012). The Open University (OU) makes its free educational resources available on iTunes U and via its web-based open educational resources (OER) platform, OpenLearn. The OU’s OER on iTunes U reached the 60 million download mark in 2013; its OpenLearn platform boasts 27 million unique visitors since 2006. This paper reports the results of a large-scale study of users of the OU’s iTunes U channel and OpenLearn platform. A survey of several thousand users revealed key differences in demographics between those accessing OER via the web and via iTunes U. In addition, the data allowed comparison between three groups: formal learners, informal learners and educators. The study raises questions about whether university-provided OER meet the needs of users and makes recommendations for how content can be modified to suit their needs. As the publishing of OER becomes core to business, we reflect on reasons why understanding users’ motivations and demographics is vital, allowing for needs-led resource provision and content that is adapted to best achieve learner satisfaction, and to deliver institutions’ social mission

Smartphones

Many of the research approaches to smartphones actually regard them as more or less transparent points of access to other kinds of communication experiences. That is, rather than considering the smartphone as something in itself, the researchers look at how individuals use the smartphone for their communicative purposes, whether these be talking, surfing the web, using on-line data access for off-site data sources, downloading or uploading materials, or any kind of interaction with social media. They focus not so much on the smartphone itself but on the activities that people engage in with their smartphones

Final report of work-with-IT: the JISC study into evolution of working practices

Technology is increasingly being used to underpin business processes across teaching and learning, research, knowledge exchange and business support activities in both HE and FE. The introduction of technology has a significant impact on the working practices of staff, often requiring them to work in a radically different way. Change in any situation can be unsettling and problematic and, where not effectively managed, can lead to poor service or functionality and disenfranchised staff. These issues can have a direct impact on institutional effectiveness, reputation and the resulting student experience. The Work-with-IT project, based at the University of Strathclyde, sought to examine changes to working practices across HE and FE, the impact on staff roles and relationships and the new skills sets that are required to meet these changes

Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse

The behavioural intention to use Facebook among Malaysian public universities as technology alternative tool for e-learning: the mediating role of end user satisfaction

Nowadays, Facebook is one of the most popular Social Networking Sites (SNS) among the tertiary education students. This site is seen to be used as technology alternative to support the main Learning Management System (LMS) that is provided by the university. However, the real situation nowadays, the students prefer to use Facebook compares to LMS as their e-Learning tool for communicating and sharing knowledge among them. Two well-known models are integrated in this study which is Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and End User Computing Satisfaction (EUCS) for better understanding the vital factors that stimulate students' Behavioural Intention (BI) in using Facebook as e-Learning tool. The sample size comprised of 472 students in Malaysia's Public Universities taken through the quota sampling technique. Thus, the total of 411 usable questionnaires was used for further analysis. Based on data analysis by utilizing PLS SEM method, the results supported the hypothesized of direct effects relationship between all four core factors of UTAUT (Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence and Facilitating Conditions) and EUCS on BI. Meanwhile, EUCS mediated the relationship between all four core factors of UTAUT on BI. These findings also supported the view that the integration between satisfaction and acceptance models increases the exploratory power on the users' behaviour of interest in using information technology. Lastly, theoretical, methodological and practical implications are discussed

EDGE-CoT: next generation cloud computing and its impact on business

Purpose – The main objective of this paper is to analyze the potential impact of future cloud computing trends on business, from the perspective of specialists in the area. Design/ methodology/ approach - Qualitative approach that includes literature review and nine semi-structured interviews with proclaimed influencers and global thought leaders in cloud computing, highlighting Jeff Barr, Vice President of Amazon Web Services. Findings -5G networks will enable the emergence of the Edge-CoT architecture, that will consequently drive the increased application of Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning (AI/ML) and Robotics. The combination of Edge-CoT, Robotics and AI/ML triggers the development of Smart Cities and Industry 4.0. Simultaneously, Cloud alone will benefit of increased connectivity and will be the preferred business architecture comparing to EdgeCoT. New industries and businesses will result from the Edge-CoT, and the existing companies will benefit mainly from an improved customer experience. Major business challenges triggered by Edge-CoT include workforce re-skilling, promotion of the agile approach and a cultural shift towards risk-taking. Research limitations/implications - The research study was limited to the analysis of a selected set of cloud computing trends. Moreover, the data collection process was limited to 9 cloud experts, hindering a possible generalization. Originality/value – This study uses a qualitative approach to listen to market experts and cross with the theoretical findings to date, consequently bringing theory and practice closer together.Objetivo - O objetivo deste estudo consiste em analisar o potencial impacto das tendências futuras de cloud computing na gestão das empresas, a partir da visão de especialistas da área. Metodologia- Abordagem qualitativa que engloba revisão de literatura e nove entrevistas semiestruturadas com proclamados influencers e lideres globais em cloud computing, destacando-se Jeff Barr, o Vice-presidente da Amazon Web Services. Resultado - As redes 5G possibilitarão o surgimento da arquitetura Edge-CoT, que consequentemente impulsionará o aumento da aplicação de Inteligência Artificial (AI) e robótica. A combinação de Edge-CoT, Robótica e AI desencadeia o desenvolvimento de Smart Cities e Industry 4.0. Simultaneamente, a Cloud sozinha beneficiará do aumento da conectividade e será a arquitetura preferida comparativamente a Edge-CoT. Novos setores e negócios resultarão do Edge-CoT, e as empresas existentes beneficiarão principalmente de uma melhor experiência do cliente. Os principais desafios organizacionais desencadeados pelo Edge-CoT incluem a requalificação da força de trabalho, a adoção da abordagem agile e uma mudança cultural que estimule experimentos tecnológicos. Restrição da pesquisa - O processo de recolha de dados foi limitado a 9 especialistas em cloud computing, dificultando assim uma possível generalização. Originalidade/ Valor - Este estudo utiliza uma abordagem qualitativa para ouvir os especialistas do mercado e cruzar com os resultados teóricos até o momento, aproximando assim a teoria da prática

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