:sync: From the Margins to the Mainstream: Culture, Context and Collaboration for OER Transformation

Authors: Don Olcott, Melissa Layne
Institutions: International Jouirnal of Open Educational Resources, International Journal of Open Educational Resources (OER)
Countries: Romania, United States

Topic: Global Collaboration, Strategies, & Policies in Open Education
Sector: Higher Education
UNESCO Area of Focus: Building capacity
Session Format: Presentation

Abstract

There have been some remarkable achievements over the past 20 years as [OER] awareness has grown and initiatives have developed. While such developments are positive, however, this research suggests that OER appears to remain for the most part on the margins in educational systems and its impact is influenced by political and government changes, as well as lack of systematic and integrated funding to ensure sustainability of the OER initiatives that are implemented. There is confusion in terminology around openness, pointing to a need to clarify understanding of OER and related concepts.( Hoosen, S., Butcher, N., OER Africa, 2019, p. 14)

This session will examine the role of culture, context and collaboration aligned with the capacity building (area i) of the UNESCO Recommendation for promoting, creating and adopting OER. The presenters will provide case study examples around capacity building. Moreover, the presenters will present a brief planning framework for facilitating institutional capacity building and use of OER.

Keywords

OER, culture, context, capacity building, planning

Here’s the recording: