Category: Uncategorized
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OERRHub Fellowship Experience, by Vital Signs researcher Thanh Le
I spent two weeks of September as an OERRHub linked fellow. My itinerary was filled with opportunities catered to my needs and interests. I was immediately immersed in Sprint Week. I had frequent meetings with my research collaborator, Bea de los Arcos. I learned about two cool science education programs:…
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Relating to Openness
It was a MOOC-tastic week last week, with the launch of FutureLearn, the new UK-based open course platform, accompanied by tantalising news that Google are teaming up with Edx for the purposes of enhancing even further, their established open course platform. Grumbles in the academic community remind us about the…
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As we say 'goodbye' to first OERRH fellow Una Daly, it's 'Hello!' to another four
We at the OER Research Hub said ‘goodbye’ to our first fellow Una Daly in August. While here, Una participated in various activities around our campus, and also managed to liven up the campus debate around OER and Accessibility. It has been a delight to meet and work with Una…
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Indicators for selecting OER – an informal learner’s perspective
Indicators for selecting OER – an informal learner’s perspective According to the Terminology of Vocational Training Policy (Tissot 2004), informal learning is: “Learning resulting from daily activities related to work, family or leisure. It is not organised or structured (in terms of objectives, time or learning support). IL (informal learning)…
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'Through a glass darkly' Part 3: OER, critical reflection and educators' improved practice – some early evidence
Do OER prompt critical reflection by educators who use them, resulting in improved practice? Part 3 of my blog series on reflection moves from abstract theorisation to concrete evidence around OER Research Hub (OERRH) hypothesis E, which raises this very question. JISC (2013) suggest that the use of OER ‘encourages open educational…
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First OERRH Fellow Arrives
I have the pleasure of being the first OER Research Hub (OERRH) fellow – in other words the guinea pig — as someone kindly pointed out. In spite of being first, the team couldn’t be more welcoming or organized. Simone and Claire have taken care of every imaginable need from…
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A collaborative approach to OER research: Reflections at our OER Research Hub Away Days
A collaborative approach to OER research: Reflections at our OER Research Hub Away Days The OER terrain seems a wide and varied one- an OER can take on any format: videos, textbooks, software and more. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation define OER as “teaching, learning, and research resources…
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'Through a glass darkly' Part 2: reflection and the agile researcher
In Plato’s dialogue Theaetetus (173-174), Socrates talks about the philosopher whose mind is not in the city, where his body is, but is instead ‘in the heights above the heaven’, far away from ‘what lies near at hand’. Socrates’ observation on the dynamic between the real world and the world of philosophical…
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'Through a glass darkly' Part 1: Can OER lead to educators' critical reflection and improved practice?
Photo: camil tulcan via compfight cc By: Leigh-Anne Perryman I’ve been reflecting on reflection of late… Reflection is the focus of OER Research Hub Hypothesis E: Use of OER leads to critical reflection by educators, with evidence of improvement in their practice. We’re researching this hypothesis with several collaborating projects,…
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OCWC conference
I was at the OCWC Conference in Bali last week, representing the OER Research Hub. For reasons too tedious to mention this was actually my first OCWC conference. Most conferences are a mixture of plusses and minuses so here are mine for this one. Plusses: There were some great people…