Open Education 2017

Abstract: Emerging research shows the impact of quality instructional materials on student achievement to be as large as quality instruction, and almost 40 times more cost-effective than class size reduction. As Open Education Resources seek to bolster their credibility in the materials space, it is imperative that OERs meet expectations when it comes to alignment with CCSS, usability, and other quality criteria. EdReports.org is an independent nonprofit that publishes free reviews of instructional materials, using an educator-designed tool that measures these criteria. The reports help districts and educators make informed purchasing and instructional decisions that support improved student outcomes. EdReports.org has reviewed or is in the process of reviewing 6 OER series finding a mix of quality with some grade-level materials meeting expectations and others only partially meeting expectations. At this session, we'll discuss the landscape of education materials with our panel and walk through how collaboration can lead to excellent materials for all students.

The panel presentation on the Multiply K-12 OER media project explore what OER means for K-12 education. Through a series of interviews with OER scholars and practicing K-12 teachers, the podcasts and videos cover the strengths and challenges of the awareness, use and advocacy of OER for K-12 within Canada and beyond. The 17 podcasts and 3 videos are housed on the Blended and Online Learning and Teaching (BOLT) blog that shares out pedagogical views, research in practice, and professional insights from in-service teachers who work in blended and online environments.The podcasts use interviewee commentary on the following OER topics: a history of OER; the current landscape; benefits to K-12 learning; acceptance; learning with OER; teaching with OER; openness and the open mindset in learning; 8 attributes of Open Pedagogy; the Open Pedagogy model; creating OER policy in Canada; and Canadian copyright and user rights, including K-12 scenarios. The 3 videos cover the following areas: Attributes of Open Community; Attributes of Open Practice; and Albertan Perspectives on OER in K-12 Learning.Due to participatory technologies, K-12 educators are already engaging with OER without being fully aware that they are involved to some degree in OER and a philosophy of openness. Through the Multiply K-12 OER media, all levels of K-12 educators can examine their current understanding and see the future of OER wherever they teach. The sharing out of the media and having teachers elsewhere in the world access these media will be part of the multiplying effect of these podcasts and videos and highlights the changing nature of professional learning in the era of OER. This panel presentation will discuss the media project and the response by educators regarding this OER professional learning for in-service teachers. Funded by the Alberta Open Educational Resources (ABOER) Initiative, the project was made possible through an investment from the Alberta government.