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

MOOCKnowledge: Establishing a large-scale data-collection about participants of European Open Online Courses

While MOOCS have emerged as a new form of open online education around the world,there are still no cross- provider and large-scale data collections that provides reliable information about demographic details of the population of MOOC participants on the one hand, and their motivation, intentions, social context, lifelong learning profile and impact on study success and career development on the other hand. The MOOCKnowledge project is an initiative to establish a large-scale data-collection about participants of European MOOCs. In this paper we describe the motivation behind the project and discuss the research focus. We explain the structure of the survey instrument, report about the data collection process and provide an outlook on potential future developments of the project.JRC.J.3-Information Societ

Proceedings of the 6th Workshop on Awareness and Reflection in Technology Enhanced Learning. In conjunction with the 11th European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning: Adaptive and Adaptable Learning.

Awareness and reflection are viewed differently across the disciplines informing Technology-Enhanced Learning (CSCW, psychology, educational sciences, computer science and others). The ARTEL workshop series brings together researchers and professionals from different backgrounds to provide a forum for discussing the multi-faceted area of awareness and reflection. 2016 was the 6th workshop in this series. Through the last ARTEL workshops at EC-TEL the topic has gained maturity and questions addresses are converging towards the usage of awareness and reflection in practice, its implementation in modern organisations, its impact on learners and questions of feasibility and sustainability for awareness and reflection in education and work. To reflect the growing maturity of research in ARTEL over the years in conjunction with the latest trends in TEL, this year's topic particularly invited contributions that deal with the contribution and impact of Learning Analytics on awareness and reflection. The motto of the workshop this year was: 'Learning Analytics for Awareness and Reflection: How can Learning Analytics methodologies and tools support awareness and reflection in different learning contexts?

Un plan de toma de decisiones basado en datos en función de las áreas de DigCompOrg en una escuela primaria en Grecia

Las tecnologías digitales son un elemento clave de gran importancia para las organizaciones educativas y pueden contribuir a marcar el camino hacia una educación de calidad. La integración de las tecnologías digitales exige un proceso de innovación educativa basado en tres pilares básicos: pedagógico, tecnológico y organizacional. En la propuesta de la Comisión Europea para promover la digitalización de la educación, se destaca que la competencia digital es una de las ocho claves que los gobiernos europeos deben trabajar en el ámbito de la formación competencias. Otro elemento básico e importante de las competencias clave son los modelos de evaluación de las competencias digitales. a nuevos y mejores métodos de evaluación. Los principales pilares de esta tesis son la evaluación de competencias digitales basada en DigCompOrg y el conjunto de los datos obtenidos para ser utilizados en un modelo de toma de decisones basada en datos (Data Driven Decision Making - DDDM) para la mejora escolar. El modelo DigCompOrg orienta los procesos de análisis y toma de decisiones sobre la digitalización organizacional y DDDM explota la importancia de los procesos de toma de decisiones apoyados en datos reales de la organización, en este caso orientados a que la escuela pueda abordar procesos de mejora educativa. Los datos en el contexto de las escuelas se entienden como el conjunto de información que se recopila y organiza para representar algún aspecto de las escuelas que se está estudiando y como indica el marco teórico de nuestra investigación, la mejor manera de recuperar información sobre datos que conciernen a las competencias digitales es el modelo DigCompOrg. Por las razones anteriores, el objetivo principal de esta investigación es evaluar la competencia digital de una escuela primaria en Grecia en función de las áreas de DigCompOrg y proponer un plan de toma de decisiones basado en datos (DDDM) para la mejora escolar a partir del análisis de evidencias del estado real. Hemos estudiado, pues, el caso específico de un centro para su mejora, pero también hemos sido capaces de integrar dos modelos teóricos (DigCompOrg y DDDM) en una propuesta práctica. Los objetivos de investigación se concretan en: a) Analizar el grado de desarrollo de la competencia digital de un colegio en Grecia según las áreas contempladas en el modelo DigCompOrg teniendo en cuenta la opinión de profesores y alumnos. b) Analizar cómo se afectan entre sí las variables del modelo DigCompOrg a partir del cuestionario de docentes, con el fin de tener una autoevaluación y mejora escolar. c) Diseñar un plan de toma de decisiones basado en un modelo DDDM y los resultados previos obtenidos sobre la competencia digital de la organización. El análisis de los resultados de la investigación destacó una correlación negativa moderada entre la influencia psicológica positiva por el uso de las TIC y la influencia negativa en la educación de los estudiantes por el uso de las TIC. Se ha comprobado una correlación positiva moderada entre la influencia psicológica positiva por el uso de las Las TIC y la cooperación con otros estudiantes mediante el uso de las TIC, lo que indica que el uso de las TIC mejoró el desarrollo psicológico de los estudiantes según su percepción y al mismo tiempo aumentó la cooperación entre ellos. Finalmente, esta tesis llegó a la propuesta de un plan de acción DDDM relacionado con las áreas DigCompOrg de la dimensión docente y extrajo datos para la mejora escolar.Digital technologies are a key element of great importance for educational organisations and can help lead the way towards quality education. The integration of digital technologies requires a process of educational innovation based on three basic pillars: pedagogical, technological and organisational. In the European Commission's proposal to promote the digitisation of education, digital competence is highlighted as one of the eight key competences that European governments should work on in the field of skills training. Another basic and important element of the key competences is the assessment models of digital competences. to new and better assessment methods. The main pillars of this thesis are the DigCompOrg-based assessment of digital competences and the collection of the obtained data to be used in a Data Driven Decision Making (DDDM) model for school improvement. The DigCompOrg model guides the analysis and decision-making processes on organisational digitalisation and DDDM exploits the importance of decision-making processes supported by real organisational data, in this case oriented towards school improvement processes. Data in the context of schools is understood as the set of information that is collected and organised to represent some aspect of the schools under study and as the theoretical framework of our research indicates, the best way to retrieve information on data concerning digital competences is the DigCompOrg model. For the above reasons, the main objective of this research is to assess the digital competence of a primary school in Greece in terms of the DigCompOrg areas and to propose a data-driven decision making (DDDM) plan for school improvement based on the analysis of real state evidence. We have therefore studied the specific case of a school for improvement, but we have also been able to integrate two theoretical models (DigCompOrg and DDDM) into a practical proposal. The research objectives are as follows: a) To analyse the degree of development of the digital competence of a school in Greece according to the areas covered by the DigCompOrg model taking into account the opinion of teachers and students. b) To analyse how the variables of the DigCompOrg model affect each other on the basis of the teachers' questionnaire, in order to have a self-evaluation and school improvement. c) To design a decision-making plan based on a DDDM model and the previous results obtained on the organisation's digital competence. The analysis of the research results highlighted a moderate negative correlation between the positive psychological influence of ICT use and the negative influence of ICT use on students' education. A moderate positive correlation was found between the positive psychological influence of ICT use and cooperation with other students through ICT use, which indicates that ICT use improved students' psychological development according to their perception and at the same time increased cooperation among them. Finally, this thesis came to the proposal of a DDDM action plan related to the DigCompOrg areas of the teaching dimension and extracted data for school improvement

Influence of employer support for professional development on MOOCs enrolment and completion: Results from a cross-course survey

Although the potential of open education and MOOCs for professional development is usually recognized, it has not yet been explored extensively. How far employers support non-formal learning is still an open question. This paper presents the findings of a survey-based study which focuses on the influence of employer support for (general) professional development on employees’ use of MOOCs. Findings show that employers are usually unaware that their employees are participating in MOOCs. In addition, employer support for general professional development is positively associated with employees completing MOOCs and obtaining certificates for them. However, the relationship between employer support and MOOC enrollment is less clear: workers who have more support from their employers tend to enroll in either a low or a high number of MOOCs. Finally, the promotion of a minimum of ICT skills by employers is shown to be an effective way of encouraging employee participation in the open education ecosystem.JRC.J.3-Information Societ

United States and Western Europe cooperation in planetary exploration

A framework was sought for U.S.-European cooperation in planetary exploration. Specific issues addressed include: types and levels of possible cooperative activities in the planetary sciences; specific or general scientific areas that seem most promising as the main focus of cooperative efforts; potential mission candidates for cooperative ventures; identification of special issues or problems for resolution by negotiation between the agencies, and possible suggestions for their resolutions; and identification of coordinated technological and instrumental developments for planetary missions

The Big Five:Addressing Recurrent Multimodal Learning Data Challenges

The analysis of multimodal data in learning is a growing field of research, which has led to the development of different analytics solutions. However, there is no standardised approach to handle multimodal data. In this paper, we describe and outline a solution for five recurrent challenges in the analysis of multimodal data: the data collection, storing, annotation, processing and exploitation. For each of these challenges, we envision possible solutions. The prototypes for some of the proposed solutions will be discussed during the Multimodal Challenge of the fourth Learning Analytics & Knowledge Hackathon, a two-day hands-on workshop in which the authors will open up the prototypes for trials, validation and feedback