Open Education 2017

Strategically, content and completion is a trap for both OER advocates and colleges institutionally. A primary focus on connections and community in strategies, however, can break the content trap and drive both college success and OER success. This session provides background concepts, analysis of typical higher ed strategic plans, current strategies for OER adoption, and introduces new ideas/suggestions for both OER adoption and institutional success.



David Wiley has written how OER is threatened strategically as publishers move to closed platform-based competition. At the same time increasing numbers of colleges face strategic threats themselves as evidenced by declining enrollments and pressures to raise completion/success rates. Despite widespread belief that MOOCs (the commercial variety) have failed, there is actually growing evidence that in many ways higher education is indeed being Š—“disruptedŠ— by other learning alternatives. While these two strategic battles, OER vs publishers and colleges' survival, may seem unrelated, they may have a common strategy that will help both OER and their institutions to Š—“winŠ—.



A new successful strategy for both requires moving beyond content, curriculum, and credential as our primary focus. I will argue that a Š—“Learn FirstŠ— strategy that builds on creating community and connections will be successful for both OER adoption and colleges. We need to focus on building OEC's, Open Educational Communities/Connections first. Quality content is still required, but it's a trap to make it primary.



This session pulls together my experiences:

Š—¢ As creator of the LCC Open Learning Lab

Š—¢ 7 years as leader of LCC's strategic planning process and faculty representative for accreditation

Š—¢ 25 years of experience as a business strategist/consultant prior to becoming professor

Š—¢ My understandings of the latest research such as Š—“The Content TrapŠ—



The session will involve significant discussion and sharing, not just presentati