Ús de metadades en el dipòsit de recursos d'aprenentatge de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

La Universitat Oberta de Catalunya ha creat un dipòsit de recursos d¿aprenentatge amb la finalitat d¿aprofitar-ne els continguts. Per aquest dipòsit ha calgut trobar i adaptar un perfil de metadades que en permeti la localització i aprofitament. En aquest article expliquem els criteris que s¿han seguit a l¿hora de definir aquest perfil, i justifiquem les exclusions que s¿han hagut de fer amb algunes de les metadades. Es comenta també el potencial de l¿XML com a format construït íntegrament amb metadades. Finalment, parlem del dipòsit com un sistema modular i funcional, en contraposició als sistemes integrals de gestió de dipòsits digitals.La Universitat Oberta de Catalunya ha creado un repositorio de recursos de aprendizaje con la finalidad de reutilizar sus contenidos. Para este depósito ha sido necesario encontrar y adaptar un perfil de metadatos que permita su localización y reutilización. En este artículo explicamos los criterios que se han seguido para definir este perfil, y justificamos las exclusiones que se han hecho con algunos metadatos. Se comenta también el potencial del XML como formato construido íntegramente con metadatos. Finalmente, hablamos del depósito como un sistema modular y funcional, en contraposición a los sistemas integrales de gestión de repositorios.The Open University of Catalonia has created a repository of learning resources in order to reuse their content. We have had to find and adapt a metadata profile which allows the contents location and reuse. In this article we explain the criteria we have followed when defining the profile and we justify the exclusions that have been done with some of the metadata. We also tell the potential of XML as a format built entirely with metadata. Finally, we describe the repository as modular and functional, as opposed to integrated management systems for digital repositories

Use of open educational resources at the UOC

The Open University of Catalonia (UOC: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) is currently implementing its 2009-2014 Strategic Plan, which devotes an entire section to open educational resources. The working group on this topic is drafting a report that establishes the objectives to be met, analyses the current lay of the land and sets out the actions required to meet the objectives. This paper examines each of these three points

Aula virtual abierta: creación de comunidades de aprendizaje alrededor de los contenidos abiertos de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

El siguiente artículo presenta una propuesta para la creación de comunidades de aprendizaje alrededor de los contenidos abiertos de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya explorando las relaciones entre la formación formal en el aula y la formación informal en la red. Esta iniciativa surge de la percepción que los OpenCourseWare (OCW) son excesivamente estáticos y unidireccionales, y no crean vínculos entre la universidad y los usuarios

Open Educational Resources in a Muli-Campus and Virtual Campus Environment

In this paper we explore the reasons for which both traditional universities as well as Open universities could adopt OER to enhance their networked curricula in a typical regional multi-campus or virtual campus scenario. We will highlight the very different institutional goals that can be achieved by the implementation of OER, and show that OER are compatible with a variety of pedagogical approaches. On the other hand, we will stress that OER need to be understood in a more comprehensive way than the course content as such, and should include open communication about the educational concepts and curricular aims in which they operate, as well as being embedded in the regional stakeholder and expertise networks that sustain the knowledge domain covered. The research is done in the context of the project Innovative Open Educational Resources (OER) in European higher education (OER-HE) lead by the European Association of Distance Universities (EADTU), and involves (for the work on multi-campus) K.U.Leuven, which is a traditional university, the Open Universiteit in The Netherlands (OUNL), which is in the process of starting up the Networked Open Polytechnic, and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). Besides the more theoretical reflection and literature study, the methodology of this research focuses on qualitative methods, involving interviews with key decision makers in the adoption of OER and open policies at institutions of different types, and stakeholder workshops to validate the chosen approaches. By having access to internal documents we can shed a light in the different arguments and motives that are taken into account when considering OER. The following possible motives for the use of OER are evaluated: widening participation and lifelong learning, internationalization, exposure, mainstreaming, reaching out to stakeholders, quality control, cost efficiency, supporting learning in the digital age, facilitating interdisciplinary research. These are ranked in function of the different institutional profiles. This first line of research should allow us to do more focused quantitative inquires in the future. OER in these contexts are meant to help fill the local expertise gaps and are part of an effort to create an integrated learning environment that is both virtual and physical, mixing distant and blended learning. Each institution is trying to shape future learning environments out of starting conditions that are historically evolved. In each case, the relation between content, human resources and knowledge dissemination is explored and an argumentation is construed to strengthen OER policies at the strategic institutional level, by connecting it to the respective business models. The three partners involved in this research look into OER from very different backgrounds and goals. Whereas for UOC multi-campus means a virtual campus, and ODL technologies are at the core of using OER, the OUNL is involved in a project to setup a Network Open Polytechnics (NOP), aiming to share innovative course content to existing Higher Education institutions. For K.U.Leuven, OER technologies help to overcome logistical and synergy problems stemming from its University Association, involving 13 institutions in multiple campuses throughout the Flemish Region.status: publishe

MultiCampus Open Educational Resources: the case of OER-HE

In this paper we address the implementation strategies regarding Open Educational Resources within a multicampus setting. A comparison is made between 3 institutions that are taking a very different approach: K.U.Leuven, which is a traditional university, the Open Universiteit (Netherlands) which is in the process of starting up the Network Open Polytechnics, and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. We are looking deeper into the pedagogical and organizational issues involved in implementing an OER strategy and show how OER holds the promise of flexible solutions for reaching at first sight very divergent goals.status: publishe

MultiCampus Open Educational Resources : the case of OER-HE

In this paper we address the implementation strategies regarding Open Educational Resources within a multicampus setting. A comparison is made between 3 institutions that are taking a very different approach: K.U.Leuven, which is a traditional university, the Open Universiteit (Netherlands) which is in the process of starting up the Network Open Polytechnics, and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. We are looking deeper into the pedagogical and organizational issues involved in implementing an OER strategy and show how OER holds the promise of flexible solutions for reaching at first sight very divergent goals

MultiCampus Open Educational Resources : the case of OER-HE

In this paper we address the implementation strategies regarding Open Educational Resources within a multicampus setting. A comparison is made between 3 institutions that are taking a very different approach: K.U.Leuven, which is a traditional university, the Open Universiteit (Netherlands) which is in the process of starting up the Network Open Polytechnics, and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. We are looking deeper into the pedagogical and organizational issues involved in implementing an OER strategy and show how OER holds the promise of flexible solutions for reaching at first sight very divergent goals

Stimuli-Responsive Poly(caprolactone) Vesicles for Dual Drug Delivery under the Gastrointestinal Tract

We report the first example of carboxylic functionalized poly(caprolactone) (PCL) block copolymer vesicles as a novel dual drug delivery pH responsive vehicle for oral administration under the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. A new carboxylic functionalized caprolactone monomer was custom designed through multistep organic reactions and polymerized under controlled ROP using polyethylene glycol (PEG-2000) to produce amphiphilic diblocks, PEG-b-CPCL x , with x = 25, 50, 75, and 100. These carboxylic PCL block copolymers were self-organized into 100–250 nm vesicular assemblies in water. The size and shape of the vesicular assemblies were confirmed by light scattering, zeta potential, and electron microscopes. These vesicles were capable of loading both hydrophilic molecules (Rhodamine B, Rh–B) and hydrophobic drugs such as ibuprofen (IBU) and camptothecin (CPT) in the core and layer, respectively. These pH-responsive PCL vesicles were stable in strong acidic conditions (pH < 2.0, stomach) and ruptured to release the loaded cargoes under neutral or basic pH (7.0 ≤ pH, similar to that of small intestine). The drug release kinetics under simulated GI tract revealed that the individual drug loaded vesicles followed the combination of diffusion and erosion pathway, whereas the dual drug loaded vesicles predominantly followed the diffusion controlled process. Thus, the custom designed PCL vesicles open up new area of pH stimuli responsive polymer vehicles for delivering multiple drugs in oral drug delivery which are yet to be explored for biomedical applications