Credentials and certification of OERs

[Carina]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently compiling some information about the development of
OERs, which will be available on WikiEducator shortly for those who
wish to comment on and add to it. But, I wonder if you know any
program/institution/organisation at a tertiary level that offers
credentials or certification for courses/units or modules that are
OERs.

There are some free courses available on the Internet (e.g.
http://alison.com/course/), but I’m not sure if they are OERs.

Your thoughts and comments on this issue are much appreciated.

Thanks,
Carina

[Wayne Mackintosh]

Hi Carina,

We look forward to seeing your info resource on WE :-)

There are a growing number of examples, here are a few reference points to get started :

• The BCcampus OER initiative -- They have prioritised the development of OERs which are used in real credentials.
• Otago Polytechnic have a number of OERs utilising  wiki-based course formats which are credential courses
• I would review the OpenCourseWare consortium listings --  you are likely to find a large number of these courses to be part of formal course requirements at the host institutions.
• The Free Technology Academy have a joint project to teach a Masters degree in association with a number of university partners. 
• Don't forget about courses which prescirbe Open Textbooks -- eg Collaborative Statistics
  

This is by no means a comprehensive list -- and I'm sure other members of the WE list will be able to cite more examples.

Cheers
Wayne

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[Sarah Stewart]

Facilitating Online: http://wikieducator.org/Facilitating_Online

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[Carina]

Hi Wayne and Sarah,

Thanks for the information – very helpful!!

Should I make this resource available in WikiResearcher? It is a kind
of framework that I’m putting together...

Thanks again.

Cheers

Carina

> Educational Facilitator and Consultanthttp://sarah-stewart.blogspot.com

[Wayne Mackintosh]

Hi Carina,

What is the intended purpose of your work?

Will it be useful as a potential teaching resource? If so -- I'd suggest WikiEducator.  If its a research project / research output -- then WikiResearcher.

The choice is yours :-)

Cheers
Wayne

Wayne Mackintosh, Ph.D.
Director OER Foundation
Director, International Centre for Open Education,
Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand.
Founder and elected Community Council Member, Wikieducator
Mobile +64 21 2436 380
Skype: WGMNZ1

Twitter | identi.ca

[Sarah Stewart]

Can you tell me what the url is for WikiResearcher - I cannot find it in Google etc

cheers Sarah

[Wayne Mackintosh]

Here is the url:

http://wikiresearcher.org/Main_Page

We had a soft launch during open access week -- so literally a brand new initiative :-)

Cheers
Wayne

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[gene loeb]

I think it will be appropriate to initiate a certifying body and reviewers  if tht is not already done the reviews like being Merlot.
Just a thought.
Gene

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With Sincerest Best Wishes ,

Gene

Gene Loeb, Ph.D.

[Joyce.M...@esc.edu]

We do not formally offer our credits for OERS but we do have a robust Prior Learning Assessment process in which matriculated students could conceivably receive college level credit through articulating learning done through OERS.   Our PLA credit is very very reasonable $300 US for evaluation of up to 96 credits.  However, PLA credits only "count" if they are part of our degree programs and students have to take at least 24 credits with us...I cannot see those credits becoming OER because of the economic realities of running an institution.   Dr. Joyce McKnight, Assistant Professor State University of New York/Empire State College.

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To: wikied...@googlegroups.com
From: gene loeb
Sent by: wikied...@googlegroups.com
Date: 10/28/2010 09:37PM
Subject: Re: [WikiEducator] Credentials and certification of OERs

[gene loeb]

Joyce,
I appreciate your kind response.
Gene

[Wayne Mackintosh]

Hi Gene,

Certification and review of OER is a complex issue. That said, no more
complex in OER than for closed-resources ;-)

A couple of thoughts:

1) Merlot is not primarily a hosting repository of materials -- the
vast majority of resources accessed through Merlot are hosted on
external sites. So for example you could find the OER Handbook for
Educators on Merlot (http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?
id=335365) which is hosted on WikiEducator.

2) Frankly -- Merlot's intellectual property policy is confusing. The
site says that resources are licensed under "Creative Commons
Licensing conditions" -- but when you read the detail (http://
taste.merlot.org/acceptableuserpolicy.html) there are a raft of
different conditions for different categories of users. In the case of
WikiEducator -- we have a values-based position on licensing. We only
use licenses which meet the free cultural works definition. In
Creative Commons terms that means CC0, CC-BY or CC-BY-SA. Of course
materials dedicated to the public domain are welcomed.

3) Merlot is not the only act in town in so far as being an access
point for open access materials. The OER Commons (http://
www.oercommons.org/) also provide search, find and rating services.
Creative Commons have also been working on an interesting project
called DiscoverEd (http://wiki.creativecommons.org/DiscoverEd). An
innovative group called Folksemantic (http://www.folksemantic.com/)
are also working on exciting new technologies. The issue is, that in
the case of OER -- it doesn't matter where the resource are hosted.
From the OER Foundation's perspective we encourage all OER developers
to use open content licenses and free file formats as the building
blocks for a sustainable OER ecosystem.

4) In my personal view -- certification and credentialing is not the
function of OER per se -- that's what education institutions should be
doing. Education institutions are free to choose the learning
materials they prescribe or recommend for their students (both closed
and open materials.) So for example, WikiEducator hosts a number of
course materials where students can obtain certifications from the
institutions that teach these OER courses. I also look forward to
seeing Joyce's thoughts on recognition of prior learning where
institutions can assess learning experience gained from free and open
OER courses hosted on WikiEducator and other open projects like P2PU,
Wikiversity etc.

5) WE need to get better at providing users the opportunity to rate
and rank materials developed and hosted in WE. We are exploring
alternatives that will scale and work well in the formal education
sector.

Above all -- I think the most important value for WE to endorse and
promote is the freedom to create. That means giving all educators in
the world the permission to create and reuse learning materials for
their purpose. While the formal sector rightly places strong emphasis
on peer review, credentials etc -- we must be wary of using this as an
excuse to restrict permissions and the freedoms of individuals to
create their own teaching materials. In the same breath, we should
also be creative in finding effective ways for the community to rate
quality without imposing restrictions on the creation process.

WE're making good progress - one step at a time. With your help and
support - we're going to get better :-)

Cheers
Wayne

[gene loeb]

Wayne,
As usual, you have thought out this important issue and are very thorough. Your response is helpful to me and I appreciate your time. Yes, I find OER very valuable and will continue to help.

Best wishes,
Gene