:sync: Increasing the Usage of OpenCourseWare in the COVID-19 Epidemic ─ An Analysis Based on Data of National Ilan University

Authors: Dar-Yeong Ju, Yun-Chueh Lin, Yen-Fu Chen
Institutions: Center for General Education, National Ilan University, Department of Applied Economics and Management, National Ilan University, The Centerfor Digital Learning, National Ilan University
Country: Taiwan

Topic: Applications of Open Education Practices/Open Pedagogy/Open Education Research
Sector: Higher Education
UNESCO Area of Focus: Building capacity
Session Format: Lightning Talk

Abstract

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic, the entire world, including education on and off campus, has undergone tremendous changes. In most countries, in order to reduce people's mobility and social distance, a variety of digital learning (eLearning) methods have been adopted to keep educational activities continuing. However, because the demand for using online learning has increased significantly, many online synchronous teachings have been unable to proceed as expected due to various network problems. The asynchronous digital learning mode has the advantages of flow-decentralized and time flexible. However, for the instructor, the preparation of the lecture content, whether it is audio-visual or textual materials, cannot be completed in a short period. This study found that the OpenCourseWare (OCW) website of National Ilan University (NIU) did not publish any new curriculum resources this year. However, compared with the data of the traffic and viewing times of using the NIU’s audiovisual resources and the number of new users on the NIU’s OCW website from January to June 2020 and the same period in previous years, there is a significant increase. In addition, according to past data, the number of viewing times and users of the NIU’s OCW website has a downward trend from 2013 to 2019. Among them, it reached a peak in 2017, and then began to slow down. This research infers that because of COVID-19, the lecturers or students are looking for existing audio-visual resources for teaching and self-learning.

Keywords

OpenCourseWare (OCW), COVID-19, eLearning

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The presentation file is here … 2020OEG-v2.pdf (801.6 KB)

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