Exploring OERs and MOOCs to Enhance the Online Learning Experience
- Boon Yih Mah
- Jul 12, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 15
Open Educational Resources (OERs) have revolutionised education by reshaping access to, sharing of, and utilisation of knowledge. They offer a wide range of materials beyond textbooks, catering to diverse learning preferences. OERs' unique licensing model allows for free usage, modification, and redistribution, fostering creativity and personalised learning.
OERs promote a global community of educators and learners, facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration. This interconnectedness enhances educational content and encourages continuous improvement in education. Overall, OERs democratise access to quality learning materials, fostering a culture of sharing and innovation in education.
A. OERs
OERs are freely accessible materials in various formats, available in the public domain or under open licenses, allowing modifications and redistribution. OER includes courses, materials, textbooks, videos, software, and tools for knowledge access. The OER movement aims to provide unrestricted access to educational resources for legal utilisation, copying, adaptation, and sharing, enhancing teaching and learning practices through technology and information.
In 2008, the Internet for Everyone initiative was launched in the US with support from eBay, Google, Free Press, Educause, and others. The initiative focused on three strategies: engaging educators and learners in creating and sharing OERs, urging publishers to release resources openly, and involving government and higher education in supporting the initiative.
a. Open Publishing
Open publishing involves creating transparent content accessible to readers. Users contribute posts and stories, promptly displayed in publicly available resources with minimal filtering. Users can view editorial decisions and comments, participate in decisions, and modify software. Source redistribution is encouraged on open publishing platforms that allow direct content uploads. Filtering and control levels vary by organisations and sites.
Open publishing principles promote public participation, minimal editorial control, and transparency. Wikipedia is a prime example: a free online encyclopedia that allows anyone to edit articles. Owned by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, Wikipedia is the most extensive general reference work on the internet. Content openness refers to user rights evaluated through the 4Rs framework, which includes the essential rights for OERs:
Reuse: Users have the right to utilise the material without altering its original form.
Review: Users can adjust, modify, or translate the resource.
Remix: Users can combine or modify the resource with other materials to create something new.
Redistribute: Users can share copies of the original material, adaptations, or remixes.
The following are the main characteristics of OERs:
Open access: Content is freely accessible for reading, downloading, copying, printing, and distribution.
Open source: Free software like Moodle is accessible for creating online courses.
Open practice: It aims to revolutionise the learning environment for institutions and individuals.
Open course: an online course offered for free or for a fee.
Below are some examples of OER categories:
Content: Modules, e-books, videos, assessment tools, etc.
Tools: Online software, content management systems (CMS) like Joomla, and learning management systems (LMS) like Moodle.
Resources: Creative Commons licenses for free usage with restrictions.
Teachers can contribute to OERs through various platforms:
Share My Lesson: A platform by educators, nationwide, offering high-quality educational resources.
Teacher.org Lesson Plans: Provides categorised lesson plans created by experienced educators.
EDUTOPIA: Offers resources for project-based learning, teacher development, and technology integration.
TES: Provides OERs for various educational levels, including lesson plans and student activities.
E-Guru Videos: Enhances teaching practices through materials from the Ministry of Education of Malaysia.
Amazon Inspire: An OER platform offering free learning materials from preschool to twelfth grade.
Creative Commons is a US-based non-profit organisation promoting the sharing of knowledge and creativity globally through free copyright licences and open access. One key aspect of CC is its standardised licensing framework for content creators, institutions, and businesses. Creators retain copyright, while others can use, copy, and distribute resources for non-commercial purposes globally. Licensors can add additional permissions, and users must comply with the licensing conditions. Teachers and students must follow copyright guidelines:
Obtain permission for non-public domain content in presentations, wikis, or blogs.
Use public-domain website information freely and follow CC license guidelines.
Contact owners for unclear information.
CC licenses for non-commercial use with modification restrictions. Educators should be familiar with these licenses and how to use materials legally.
Under the Attribution (BY) license, licensees can copy, distribute, display, and perform the work, create derivative works, and remix with proper attribution.
Share-alike (SA) licensees can distribute derivative works under the same license as the original work.
Non-commercial (NC) licensees can use the work for non-commercial purposes.
No Derivative (ND) works licensees can only copy, distribute, display, and perform the work in its exact form.
Apart from identifying the rights associated with the icons, teachers should also study the seven commonly used licences and learn how to use materials or resources without infringing copyright or intellectual property rights. Utilise CC licenses for resources without copyright concerns through:
CC Search Tool: Explore images, music, and videos without permission at https://search.creativecommons.org
CC Collection: Compile resources from various categories like images, media, web, video, and music
Wikimedia Commons: Access CC-licensed images and videos on Wikipedia
CC licenses require attribution. Teachers can find CC-licensed photos on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons. Photos are displayed based on the chosen license type. When using CC-licensed photos, teachers must provide attribution, use them non-commercially, and not create derivatives. To comply, teachers need:
Picture URL – https://goo.gl/FhfEX2
Picture name – Orchid
Photographer's name – CameliaTWU (on and off)
CC license – BY-NC-ND.
CC recommends the TASL format: title, author, source, and license. For more on proper attribution, see https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/Best_practices_for_attribution. CC offers OERs categorised by subjects, education level, and standards. The hub features curated digital collections by librarians. Resources can be filtered by various criteria and are available in 45 languages.
1. Global Affiliate Network
CC has partnered with over 500 volunteers worldwide to collect OERs and manage copyright issues.
They also collaborate with NGOs.
CC established a shared platform with key figures in content and knowledge sharing, enabling the sharing of billions of works.
CC provides tools such as Open Author that help educators easily create licensed educational resources.
The Lesson Builder is for K-12 education, and the Module Builder is for higher education.
2. Professional Development
ISKME in California empowers educators with skills and resources to advance OERs globally through research and development. Action Collabs are workshops that leverage the design-thinking framework to inspire new ideas, focusing on collaboration and idea generation through a four-step process:
Identifying Opportunities: Participants actively interview stakeholders involved in the design challenge.
Designing: The group collectively brainstorms new methods, tools, and processes tailored to the design challenge;
Prototyping: Design concepts are translated into prototypes and continuously tested to refine the design.
Scaling and Disseminating: Once an idea is developed, the group explores avenues for global dissemination.
ISKME actively participates in the Big Ideas Fest, an annual event that brings together educators and innovators to exchange insights and best practices. The event includes talks, networking opportunities, and Action Collabs to empower education champions. Since 1999, ISKME has also been involved in research and development (R&D), exploring new areas in educational research and evaluating project impacts.
B. MOOCs
Many individuals are concerned about the rising cost of higher education. However, there is an alternative: over 500 free online courses from recognised universities worldwide. These academic courses, known as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), enable individuals to enhance their professional skills. MOOCs started gaining popularity in 2012, with the University of Manitoba launching the first MOOC in 2008. They are open to all and foster continuous learning through a network-based system.
In 2016, the number of courses available doubled from the previous year, reaching around 4,000 courses from various universities. Currently, over 6,850 courses are offered by more than 700 universities, attracting 58 million students. The top five MOOC providers by registered users are Coursera (23 million), edX (10 million), XuetangX (6 million), FutureLearn (5.3 million), and Udacity (4 million).
a. Why MOOCs?
Abas (2015) identified several motivations:
Enhancing academic and professional development
Crafting one's educational path
Learning at a self-determined pace
Accessing learning opportunities anytime, anywhere, and on any device
Gaining knowledge from distinguished educators and subject matter experts
Obtaining certifications from leading international universities/MOOC providers
Collaborating and learning from global classmates
b. Types of MOOCs
Initially, Downes (2012) distinguished between xMOOCs and cMOOCs. xMOOCs follow a behaviourist approach, akin to that of traditional classrooms, and are often hosted on university platforms. The first xMOOC, Artificial Intelligence, was launched at Stanford University, featuring video lectures and auto-graded multiple-choice assignments.
On the other hand, cMOOCs are based on connectivist learning theory, focusing on creating knowledge through connections with other learners, software, and the instructor. Other MOOC variations include Distributed Online Collaborative Courses (DOCCs), Big Open Online Courses (BOOCs), Synchronous Massive Online Courses (SMOCs), Small Private Online Courses (SPOCs), and Corporate Open Online Courses (COOCs), each offering unique features and benefits.
c. Beneficial MOOCs for Educators
Explore a selection of MOOCs supporting teacher development:
Teaching Character and Creating Positive Classrooms
Boost student engagement and achievement through positive psychology.
Emerging Trends and Technologies in the Virtual K-12 Classroom
Learn about new teaching and learning trends.
Focus on the impact of educational technology on teaching and learning.
K-12 Blended and Online Learning
Develop blended or online units for K-12 students
Using Open Educational Resources in Teaching
Enhance teaching practices through the sharing of educational materials.
Powerful Tools for Teaching and Learning
Web 2.0 Tools: Integrate them effectively into teaching.
Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills
Develop modern teaching skills for the 21st Century.
d. Enhancing Teaching and Learning Through MOOCs
Teachers face new challenges, including policies affecting pedagogy, assessment, and technology. To improve, educators can utilise MOOCs for:
Free courses
Many universities offer free MOOCs, which are ideal for institutions with limited budgets.
Flexibility
MOOCs allow teachers to learn at their convenience, with access to materials and lectures anytime.
Adaptability
MOOCs can be customised to suit organisational needs, promoting democratic content rights.
Continuous learning
Courses are available 24/7, aiding in skill acquisition and fostering discipline.
Resource utility
Some MOOC materials can be adapted for classroom use, enhancing learning.
Peer teaching
Educators can share MOOC-derived knowledge with peers, benefiting professional learning communities.
e. The Future of MOOCs
MOOCs aim to provide high-quality education globally, but limited internet access hinders participation in remote areas of India, China, Africa, and South America. Moreover, there is an educational gap with 80% of registrants being employed graduates from affluent families in BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates). To address this, MOOC providers, with government support, must tackle barriers related to internet access, finances, language, and web accessibility.
Internet accessibility barrier
Global disparities in internet access hinder universal access to education through MOOCs.
Financial barrier
The rising costs of maintaining MOOCs challenge their sustainability.
Language barrier
Most MOOCs are in English, posing a challenge for non-English speakers.
Web accessibility barrier
MOOCs need to ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities and be truly open to all learners.
C. To Sum Up...
Open educational resources (OER) are more than just free materials; they promote a pedagogical approach that encourages student-teachers to become designers and sharers of knowledge. This shifts the teacher's role from content provider to facilitator, emphasising openness, collaboration, and learner engagement supported by digital technologies. Tutors should model ethical sharing and help student-teachers critically engage with resources. Central to this approach is the practical application of the 4Rs: reuse, review, remix, and redistribute. Student-teachers learn to locate, evaluate, adapt, and responsibly share resources. They also explore concepts such as Creative Commons licensing and digital ethics, with a focus on accessibility and responsible digital citizenship.
Online courses and MOOCs enhance this notion of flexible learning by offering access to global knowledge and professional development. Different formats, such as xMOOCs, cMOOCs, and SPOCs, offer varying levels of interaction and structure, enabling student-teachers to implement flipped lessons and collaborative practices. Ultimately, these concepts encourage future teachers to see technology-enabled learning as open and valuable, promoting lifelong learning and adaptability while raising awareness of barriers like access and language. The goal is to empower student-teachers to create, adapt, and share knowledge meaningfully in their teaching practices.
References
Abas, Z. (2015). Why MOOCs? International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 5(2), 156-160. https://doi.org/10.7763/IJIET.2015.V5.488
Downes, S. (2012). Connectivism and connective knowledge: Essays on meaning and learning networks. National Research Council Canada. https://www.downes.ca/post/57911
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Open educational resources. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_educational_resources
Let's Recall...
Why are OERs important in education?
How do Creative Commons licenses help teachers and students?
Why do people join MOOCs?
How can MOOCs benefit teachers?
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