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<span class="c17">OER Guidance for Schools 1</span> | <span class="c17">OER Guidance for Schools 1</span> | ||
Open Education and the Schools Sector | |||
The OER Guidance for Schools has been produced in partnership with Leicester City Council to introduce schools to open education and Open Educational Resources (OER). This document explains what OER are, and how school staff can use them to support teaching and learning. | |||
= What are Open Educational Resources? = | = What are Open Educational Resources? = | ||
<span class="c0 c6">Open Educational Resources (OER) are | <span class="c0 c6">Open Educational Resources (OER) are free learning resources that have been openly licensed or are in the public domain, and can be used or reused for free</span><span class="c6">.</span> | ||
Open Educational Resources (OER) are free learning resources that have been openly licensed or are in the public domain, and can be used or reused for free.OER formats include text (either print or digital); audio, video, or multimedia, or various combinations of these. They can support a single learning point, a lesson, a series of lessons, a whole course, or even an entire programme of study. | Open Educational Resources (OER) are free learning resources that have been openly licensed or are in the public domain, and can be used or reused for free.OER formats include text (either print or digital); audio, video, or multimedia, or various combinations of these. They can support a single learning point, a lesson, a series of lessons, a whole course, or even an entire programme of study. | ||
= What is open education? = | = What is open education? = | ||
Open education refers to educational approaches that prioritise participation in, and access to, teaching and learning. | Open education refers to educational approaches that prioritise participation in, and access to, teaching and learning. One of the defining features of open educational approaches is the creation and use of Open Educational Resources — learning resources that have been made available under an open licence. The best known open licences for OER are the Creative Commons licences. | ||
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to education. Education — the development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential — is a cornerstone of our society, enshrined in the UN Convention for the Rights of the Child. | The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to education. Education — the development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential — is a cornerstone of our society, enshrined in the UN Convention for the Rights of the Child. | ||
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The UNESCO 2012 Paris OER Declaration states that UNESCO member states (including the UK) should: | The UNESCO 2012 Paris OER Declaration states that UNESCO member states (including the UK) should: | ||
<span class="c28">Promote and use OER to widen access to education at all levels, both formal and non-formal, in a perspective of lifelong learning, thus contributing to social inclusion, gender equity and special needs education. | <span class="c28">Promote and use OER to widen access to education at all levels, both formal and non-formal, in a perspective of lifelong learning, thus contributing to social inclusion, gender equity and special needs education. Improve both cost-efficiency and quality of teaching and learning outcomes through greater use of OER.</span> | ||
The use and creation of open content can support many different teaching and learning approaches, but is strongly linked to, and supports, open education approaches. Globally, educators and groups are working to make, share and promote Open Educational Resources. | The use and creation of open content can support many different teaching and learning approaches, but is strongly linked to, and supports, open education approaches. Globally, educators and groups are working to make, share and promote Open Educational Resources. | ||
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If you share resources online with a service provider who is not your school, it's important to always check the agreement that you are entering into. | If you share resources online with a service provider who is not your school, it's important to always check the agreement that you are entering into. | ||
You should always take time to read the terms and conditions before deciding which sites to share your work on. On some sites, you may find a statement that gives the site owner very comprehensive rights. | You should always take time to read the terms and conditions before deciding which sites to share your work on. On some sites, you may find a statement that gives the site owner very comprehensive rights. That can mean that once the content is uploaded, the site operator can use your content in ways that you may not want it to be used. Sites sometimes state that you waive any moral rights you and your school may have. This means that you (and your school) do not even need to be given credit for the work. Some sites stipulate that you may not adapt or share downloaded content with others. | ||
Open licences, including the Creative Commons licences, provide educators and everyone else with a clear, simple way to specify how resources can be used and reused, and how the work should be credited. This straightforward approach to licensing helps to explain why Creative Commons licences are most frequently used to convert “resources” to “Open Educational Resources”. Some websites (see additional documents) provide you with the ability to apply a Creative Commons licence to your work within their site, so that the ways you want to share and be credited for your work are displayed next to your resource. Downloaded Creative Commons content can be shared by adhering to clear rules, including crediting the content creators. With most Creative Commons licences, content can also be adapted, and those adaptations can also be shared. | Open licences, including the Creative Commons licences, provide educators and everyone else with a clear, simple way to specify how resources can be used and reused, and how the work should be credited. This straightforward approach to licensing helps to explain why Creative Commons licences are most frequently used to convert “resources” to “Open Educational Resources”. Some websites (see additional documents) provide you with the ability to apply a Creative Commons licence to your work within their site, so that the ways you want to share and be credited for your work are displayed next to your resource. Downloaded Creative Commons content can be shared by adhering to clear rules, including crediting the content creators. With most Creative Commons licences, content can also be adapted, and those adaptations can also be shared. | ||
= Open in principle and practice = | = Open in principle and practice = | ||
<span class="c0"> | <span class="c0">Legal</span> <span class="c0">freedom</span>, which grants permission to use content through an open licence, is just one aspect of open. There are two other important freedoms that relate to openness: <span class="c0">technological freedom</span> (for example, ease of use and accessibility, with different kinds of devices and software), and freedom in terms of <span class="c0">education and participation</span> (inviting dialogue and adaptation, promoting flexible and inclusive approaches to teaching, making learning objectives and teaching strategies explicit). Often, legal freedom is the only freedom that is considered essential, but it is important to think about the other freedoms as well, even though it may not always be feasible to fully implement all freedoms for all resources. | ||
Legal freedom is about permission. However, this is a permission in principle only. <span class="c0">Technological freedom</span> is about permission in practice. | Legal freedom is about permission. However, this is a permission in principle only. <span class="c0">Technological freedom</span> is about permission in practice. For example, if a resource is available in only one proprietary file format (for which expensive software is needed), then it may be available to use in principle. In practice, however, only people who can afford the software required can access it. In other words, the resource is legally free, but not technologically free. If the same resource is available in several file formats (including open file formats), then it has a greater degree of technological freedom. Imagine a resource bank that has no search facility; the content may be (legally) free, but in practice it may just be too hard to find in order to be useful. Technological freedom relates to anticipatory provision (UK Equality Act 2010) and making reasonable adjustments to ensure resources are accessible, including to users with disabilities. | ||
There are also many resources on the internet that are technologically free, but not legally free — although you can download them, it may be illegal to do so. While legal freedom provides a basis for technological freedom, technological freedom isn’t assured by legal freedom, but needs to be considered at the same time. | There are also many resources on the internet that are technologically free, but not legally free — although you can download them, it may be illegal to do so. While legal freedom provides a basis for technological freedom, technological freedom isn’t assured by legal freedom, but needs to be considered at the same time. | ||
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Open Educational Resources enjoy a range of social, educational and financial benefits. OER can support schools and school staff in increasing access, fostering collaboration and ensuring value for money. | Open Educational Resources enjoy a range of social, educational and financial benefits. OER can support schools and school staff in increasing access, fostering collaboration and ensuring value for money. | ||
By openly licensing learning materials, schools can provide additional value — making publicly funded works available for public benefit, through open and free exchange. | By openly licensing learning materials, schools can provide additional value — making publicly funded works available for public benefit, through open and free exchange. | ||
Education benefits from good resources, and reusing existing OER frees up time that can b<span class="c5">e spent on other aspects of teaching and learning.</span> | Education benefits from good resources, and reusing existing OER frees up time that can b<span class="c5">e spent on other aspects of teaching and learning.</span> | ||
At the <span class="c0">school level</span>, | At the <span class="c0">school level</span>, use of OER (instead of paid-for resources) can help reduce costs, and get the most out of existing budgets. Schools can benefit by increasing their capacity through connecting to OER networks of educators and expertise. OER (and Creative Commons licences) provide a framework on the basis of which schools can collaborate and share flexible learning materials (such as worksheets, course or textbooks) alongside innovative and effective practice. Use of OER enables schools to work together. Releasing resources under open licences promotes the often outstanding work that staff and schools are doing. | ||
From an <span class="c0">educator’s | From an <span class="c0">educator’s perspective</span>, <span class="c5">OER use and</span> <span class="c5">creation can bring educators together and support school staff in achieving shared goals. Through </span>sharing resources in common<span class="c5"> areas of interest, working with </span>OER can help develop school communities.<span class="c5"> Being able to draw on multiple sources, new approaches and expertise invigorates teaching and can increase quality.</span> | ||
OER increases the pool of resources available for activities in the <span class="c0">classroom</span>. This can support differentiation more easily, and increase the variety of classroom activities, as well as help provide extension tasks. | OER increases the pool of resources available for activities in the <span class="c0">classroom</span>. This can support differentiation more easily, and increase the variety of classroom activities, as well as help provide extension tasks. | ||
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For background to OER and open content: B. Haßler & T. Mays (2014). <span class="c16 c28">[http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fbjohas.de%2FPublications%2FHassler_Mays_OpenContent&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNG1LXgCQgvXd39SFSC8bdoafiTyiQ Open ] | For background to OER and open content: B. Haßler & T. Mays (2014). <span class="c16 c28">[http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fbjohas.de%2FPublications%2FHassler_Mays_OpenContent&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNG1LXgCQgvXd39SFSC8bdoafiTyiQ Open ][http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fbjohas.de%2FPublications%2FHassler_Mays_OpenContent&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNG1LXgCQgvXd39SFSC8bdoafiTyiQ Content]</span>. <span class="c5">An open chapter in: R. Mansell & P. Hwa (eds.)</span><span class="c5 c28">,The International encyclopedia of digital communication and society, </span><span class="c5">Wiley-Blackwell (in press).</span> | ||
To find out more about Creative Commons and education (including the global context), visit <span class="c16">[http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fcreativecommons.org%2Feducation&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHhdwPWtbA-1grpkw59ovy8A41fDg http://creativecommons.org/education]</span>. | To find out more about Creative Commons and education (including the global context), visit <span class="c16">[http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fcreativecommons.org%2Feducation&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHhdwPWtbA-1grpkw59ovy8A41fDg http://creativecommons.org/education]</span>. | ||
The <span class="c16">[http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unesco.org%2Fnew%2Ffileadmin%2FMULTIMEDIA%2FHQ%2FCI%2FCI%2Fpdf%2FEvents%2FParis%2520OER%2520Declaration_01.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_cDrpyGw-48YBGB2R_-ZQhJ0lew UNESCO 2012 Paris OER Declaration]</span> was an important milestone in the OER movement, with a number of recommendations for states to adopt, promote and collaborate on OER. | The <span class="c16">[http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unesco.org%2Fnew%2Ffileadmin%2FMULTIMEDIA%2FHQ%2FCI%2FCI%2Fpdf%2FEvents%2FParis%2520OER%2520Declaration_01.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNH_cDrpyGw-48YBGB2R_-ZQhJ0lew UNESCO 2012 Paris OER Declaration]</span> was an important milestone in the OER movement, with a number of recommendations for states to adopt, promote and collaborate on OER. | ||
