Orientation+to+OER+Search

The purpose of the workshop is to actually try to build some usable open course modules that could be used by UWI ad AU in thir programming. The workshop participants met and decided on six modules that could be tackled. Once we had identified the topic, the audence and the expected learning outcomes we turned the list over to two graduate research assistants to search Open Education Repositories and other learning object repositories to see if they could identify useful reference material and open materials that might actually be incorporated into the modules.

The premise is, that if good materials exist and these can be incorporated for free, or with easily obtained permission, then they would be flagged for potential inclusion. In searching and screening potential content objects, the research assistants were asked to suggest whether the items were complete learning objects i.e. delivered and assessed a complete course objective, or if theory could be used as an asset for part of the instructional process e.g. introduction, content presentation, learning activity, assessment activity. They were also asked to note materials they found that were not recommended - either because they were inappropriate for the target audience, or were lacked quality media presentation, lacked credibility as to the accuracy of the information contained, or appeared to include content drawn from other sources without a clear statement of provenance and permission.

The instructional design process:


 * 1) Selection of target modules and learning outcomes [by workshop participants]
 * 2) Search for existing relevant learning content [by research assistants]
 * 3) Cursory preview and classification of found objects [by research assistants]
 * 4) Selection of objects for inclusion or for use as secondary reference [by participants in course development teams]
 * 5) Writing of new module with an eye to integrating the found content when appropriate [by course development team]
 * 6) Formative evaluation of the new module by expert review [by workshop participants]
 * 7) Delivery [beyond the parameters of the workshop]

Reports on the objects should note the name, provenance (i.e. how and were found), URL, copyright (if any), length (minutes), reading level, complexity and a few descriptive remarks. and ask them to class them as: > good complete units > good intro material > good presentation > good activities > good assessments > free but not so good to be useful