Talk:OERu/Planning/OERu marketing communications and partner engagement/Value Proposition/Elevator pitch
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Contents
| Thread title | Replies | Last modified |
|---|---|---|
| Feedback on final version of the elevator pitch | 1 | 07:00, 15 June 2016 |
| Feedback on Version 3.0 of the elevator pitch | 10 | 09:51, 8 June 2016 |
| Feedback on proposed final version of elevator pitch | 0 | 05:30, 4 June 2016 |
| Feedback on Version 2.0 of the elevator pitch | 12 | 19:01, 26 May 2016 |
| Feedback on Version 1.0 of the elevator pitch. | 6 | 10:34, 12 May 2016 |
| General suggestions | 1 | 10:44, 11 May 2016 |
The final version is almost complete - but we need to fix a technicality. The proposed final version reads:
OERu is an international network of innovative higher education institutions inspired by the vision of opening access to a credible, high-quality and affordable education to learners around the world. Through OERu, learners develop knowledge and earn globally recognized qualifications that can be applied for credit transfer into formal programmes at partner institutions.
The problem
- Normally learners don't earn a recognized qualification and then apply it for credit transfer. The process of credit transfer is the OERu mechanism through which learners gain the qualification.
Minor tweak
I propose the following tweak:
OERu is an international network of innovative higher education institutions inspired by the vision of opening access to a credible, high-quality and affordable education to learners around the world. Through OERu, learners develop knowledge and earn credits toward globally recognized qualifications that can be applied for credit transfer into formal programmes at partner institutions.
I don't see a way of getting round the repetition of "credible" / "credits" and "credit transfer" unless we cut the credit transfer piece.
I've been playing with this for a bit, but i think you've got the best solution. Are we OK to leave out the 'credit transfer' section? If not, is there another, universally accepted, way to say the same thing?
"OERu is an international network of innovative higher education institutions inspired by the vision of opening access to a recognised, high-quality, and affordable education to learners around the world. Through OERu, learners develop knowledge and earn credits towards globally recognized qualifications at partner institutions."
What is OERu? (Working draft 3 - Current Version)
OERu connects learners from around the world with an advanced, affordable, and accessible education through a network of innovative, international higher education partners. Through OERu, learners develop knowledge and earn globally recognized credentials.
I've incorporated most of the feedback from v2 into the current iteration, and look forward to your thoughts.
regarding the following points:
- Tertiary - while this will be common within academia, i think it will lead to confusion with prospective students.
- 'industry quality standards' - i think we cover this through the 'globally recognized credentials'
- Conduit - I love the word and concept, but will bow to the majority. :-)
- Free - I've steered clear of this due to the potential landmines mentioned in the initial draft
Thanks Jason,
We're getting close.
- I can see that the alliteration of "advanced", "affordable", and "accessible" could be useful for "adverts" - but "advanced" isn't a good fit imo.
- We've had feedback from two CEOs that reputable / credible needs to be in the mix. Although hard to fit in without a long string of adjectives. Could the following work:
- OERu connects learners from around the world with an affordable and accessible education through a credible network of innovative, international higher education partners. Through OERu, learners develop knowledge and earn globally recognized credentials.
We could substitute credible with reputable?
Yep i didn't like advanced either. Also "from around the world" is wordy - wondered about ditching in favour of "global" but then we have "globally" later. Do we need it I wonder? I don't think so. By the end of the 2nd sentence we have the "global" concept.
I was thinking replace "advanced" with the simpler idea of "the best". Added "online". Affirm the need for "reputable". Suggest "innovative" is unecessary. The idea is incredible. Let it speak for itself.
Suggested revision:
OERu connects learners with the best affordable, and accessible online education through a network of reputable, international higher education partners. Through OERu, learners develop knowledge and earn globally recognized credentials.
As we strive for word economy we are loosing what is distinctive about OERu - our openness.
Reading this elevator pitch and its suggested refinements, I struggle to see what is special about our innovation. The OERu is distinctively open - there is no education collaboration that comes remotely close to our openness.
I'm edging towards David Porters description - the current track is watering down what we are doing to nothing. Jason - I think you need to get back to the drawing board and generate something which compels me to want to join and participate in the OERu.
- OERu is open sourcing education - we are an international network of credible institutions widening access to globally recognized credentials at an affordable cost.
This is the heart and core of what we are doing the other wordsmithing is fluff imo. ;-)
Hi Sarah,
Appreciate your ongoing engagement and interest in helping us shape up an elevator pitch - why is this soooooo hard?
I'm weary of using superlative adjectives. Some organisation will come along and tell us that their full-fee online course with tutorial support is "better" than our "best" - although the research evidence suggests that lecturer-student support contributes less to learning outcomes than other forms of support ;-)
But you and I know that we are the "best" international network opening education.
Feedback from Clive Mulholland, Principal and Vice Chancellor of UHI
- "Apologies for my tardiness in response, busy week here. I think version 3 is much improved. Only suggestion from me would be to add quality in.
- 'Advanced, affordable and accessible high quality......'"
- "Apologies for my tardiness in response, busy week here. I think version 3 is much improved. Only suggestion from me would be to add quality in.
Agreed--quality or high quality should be added. "accessible" may not be necessary if the premise is that we provide access to education.
Contribution from Martin Oosthuizen, member of the EXCOM of the OERu Council of CEOs, and DVC Northwest University
I have had a go at formulating something more "inspiring". The last bit about articulation my not be stated properly, though I think that it captures the commitment of the partners to promote articulation.
- OERu is an international network of innovative higher education institutions inspired by the vision of opening access to a credible, high-quality and affordable education to learners across the world. Through OERu, learners develop knowledge and earn globally recognized credentials, that they can present for articulation into formal programmes at the partner institutions.
In response Clive Mulholland says:
- "Thanks for this Martin. I really like it. You could replace “articulation” with credit transfer perhaps?"
Feedback from Jim Taylor, OERF Board member and Emeritus Professor, USQ
Here are a few comments that could also be relevant to the work by Helen Baxter and her team on the forthcoming Partners Video Script and Animatic:
- OERu is an international innovation partnership of over 30 quality-accredited higher education institutions sharing expertise to provide currently excluded learners from around the world with affordable access to online higher education.
- By extending the philosophy of open access research to a selected range of online open access courses primarily at the first year level, OERu partner institutions (by offering just two courses each) are providing learners with the opportunity to gain academic credit towards globally recognized credentials without facing significant financial outlays. Student fees for these open access courses are based only on the cost-recovery of assessment services.
- The OERu open business model outlines the benefits of the collaborative use of open source technologies and Creative Commons licensing to enable learners to make an effective transition to higher education, thereby enabling institutions to meet social justice targets, enhance cost efficiency and build sustainability.
"OERu is an international network of innovative higher education institutions inspired by the vision of opening access to a credible, high-quality and affordable education to learners around the world. Through OERu, learners develop knowledge and earn globally recognized qualifications that can be applied for credit transfer into formal programmes at partner institutions."
OERu is a sustainable conduit connecting learners from around the world with an affordable, accessible education developed by a network of international higher education institutions. Through OERu, learners gain the opportunity to develop their knowledge and earn globally recognized credentials.
Rationale: Portraying OERu as a conduit vs. a pathway/road/highway helps clarify that there is a define route to recognized credentials. The sustainable aspect shows there is a support system in place to ensure this endeavour isn't just a flash in the pan (while we can say we are scalable, our actions will need to demonstrate that we actually are)
Building on this basic foundation, our future communications have the ability to expand to meet the needs/expectations of the target audience,
Version 2 is a big improvement. I'd suggest a couple changes to tighten things up a notch: 1) "international higher education institutions" -> "international tertiary institutions" (I think "tertiary" is well known, and is more specific than "higher education", no?), 2) "learners gain the opportunity to develop" -> "learners can develop".
I agree with 'learners can develop' - much more direct language. 2 verbs is muddy. I'm OK either way with HE vs tertiary, happy to go with the majority.
I prefer "higher education," to try to target the "VOA Special English" vocabulary.
Hi Jason.
Yes - Version 2 of the elevator pitch is way better! It's not an easy ask to get this right for a complex distributed organisation like the OERu. I note Dave's point and preference for international tertiary institutions, however our network includes a number of non-teaching agencies. I think the concept of higher education is more encompassing in that it could include non-teaching institutions?
Open questions:
Do we need to state that OERu offerings are of high quality or meet "industry" quality standards? Or is that a given?
The concept of "sustainable conduit" is an awkward formulation - it doesn't flow easily off the tongue and I was left asking what does this mean? I first needed to read the rationale before I understood the concept.
I can see the attraction for prospective partners joining a sustainable collaboration (as opposed to a flash in the pan) and the importance of communicating this value clearly and succinctly. I'm not sure that the current formulation achieves this?
mmm - thinking out loud - What about The "OERu is a sustainable innovation partnership connecting learners ...."
Innovation is one of the important reasons (and benefits) for joining the OERu - so why not state this?
Feedback from Phil Ker (EXCOM member of the OERu Council of CEOs and Chief Executive, Otago Polytechnic).
- "I am comfortable with version 2. Perhaps, though, consider an adjective to qualify the OERu members eg ‘…an INTERNATIONAL network of REPUTABLE/CREDIBLE higher education institutions.
- BTW looking at the marketing plan, I do not see us addressing how we cross market the OERu from member institutions. This is very important in my view, and covers things like linked web presence (OERU to each member) and incorporating OERu marketing in the usual marketing channels and tools used by individual members. We need consistency here, and to get that consistency need advice and guidelines."
Feedback from David Porter...
I’m in favor of a much simpler and direct approach.
“We connect learners from around the world with free and accessible tertiary education courses developed by a network of international higher education partners. Through OERu, learners can develop their knowledge and earn globally recognized credentials at an affordable cost.”
Feedback from Robin Day, Chair of the OERF Board of Directors:
Hi Wayne, I like version 2 because it it clear and succinct - i would suggest the addition of a couple of words … and educators - see below
- OERu is a sustainable conduit connecting learners and educators from around the world with an affordable, accessible education developed by a network of international higher education institutions. Through OERu, learners gain the opportunity to develop their knowledge and earn globally recognized credentials.
Feedback from Alan Davis, President and Vice Chancellor, KPU:
- I am inclined to support David Porter’s approach, but we need something on credibility or quality or whatever. BTW, “conduit” is a lovely word but ...
Here is the first attempt:
OERu is an authentically open conduit to learning: an international community of scholars connecting students around the globe with advanced education opportunities; building knowledge and facilitating innovation from any space with a reliable Internet connection. A completely free education, or at substantially reduced rates for those seeking accreditation.
'Through OERu, a vast network of accredited universities, colleges, and polytechnics offer world-class courses in a substantial range of topics. Open enrollment, open textbooks, and open learning platforms enable knowledge acquisition for anyone around the world.
Please provide feedback and suggestions for improvement by clicking on the reply button. Your feedback will inform Version 2 of the pitch.
I think a pitch needs to define the term "OER" concisely.
I also think we should talk about how OERu creates an opportunity for those currently poorly served by traditional tertiary study (i.e. people unable to afford cost or time of tertiary study due to other priorities or tyranny of distance).
I also think two compelling aspects of the OERu are
- opportunistic study (in bursts, not according to an external time line).
- the ability to try (and possibly fail) anonymously.
I also like the idea of OERu being a quiet, humble revolution, democratising tertiary education for the masses, and acting as a rising tide (in the form of ever-improving educational resources available to all) which raises all (learners'/educators') boats.
I agree with Dave, our research and anecdotal evidence shows that executive leaders do not know what "OER" is.
The concept of "Open educational resources" (OER) is complex. We know from the Babson survey that the majority of educators and adminstrators (+70%) can't define OER and don't know why its important.
I don't think that its prudent to attempt defining OER in an elevator pitch - some things are complex and we need to live with that ;-)
Perhaps the approach is:
- Treat "OERu" as a "brand" without defining the acronym. Create interest in the OERu to find out more.
- Say things like "Open education is about removing barriers to access using the power / afordances of the Internet"
My concern with treating "OERu" as a pure brand is that we'll effectively be defining OER in a roundabout way to describe what the brand stands for, but without doing so explicitly, which I think might result in more confusion rather than a bit of clarity...
When trying to describe what I do to people who voice an interest, I usually tell them something like "we are democratising tertiary education by helping educators create open curriculum materials that are available for anyone with an internet connection to access and learn from, and for any tertiary institution to incorporate into their own materials, often contributing their improvements back. It's open sourcing education - it's a quietly and gently disruptive, collaborative and profound revolution." :)
I think the partner elevator pitch needs to be about organisations rather than individuals.
Eg international community of scholars could be stated as an international network of like minded partners.
I reckon these "sound bites" provide a range of useful concepts in a concise form...
Elucidating a few challenges with concepts or phrases in Version 1 of the Elevator pitch:
- community of scholars: The OERu does not provide tutorial support, therefore from a learner perspective the notion of access to a community of scholars may create false expectations. I wouldn't use this concept for an elevator pitch.
- building knowledge: While the discovery and dissemination of knowledge is core business for research-led universities - the OERu network does not carry out pure research. I wouldn't refer to building knowledge - but rather shift the emphasis to learning.
- facilitating innovation: The OERu is an innovative model - but our core purpose is not to facilitate innovation. We implement innovative pedagogies (but stating this could have negative impact within the academy - its best to avoid assertions about particular pedagogical approaches.
- free As indicate by Dave in the meeting, unfortunately the English language does not distinguish between the two meanings of free (i.e gratis and liberty). The free we are referring to is "no-cost" (gratis). That said, the majority of readership would assume that free means no cost. Learners will pay for assessment services - so we must be careful in how we state free, i.e. learning is free, but assessment service will carry cost.
- knowledge acquisition - its pedantic, but imo its better to refer to learning rather than knowledge acquisition so as to avoid any epistemological debates which are rife in the academy ;-).
- students - we mustn't refer to students. The concept of student in many jurisdictions suggests that there is a contractual relationship between the student and the teaching organisation. There is no contractual relationship between an OERu learner and the partner institution until the point where they request assessment services. We must be careful not to convey the idea that partner institutions incur legal responsibility for "free" OERu learners. Our practice at OERu is to refer to learners (not students.)
Key themes that are important (I also recommend consulting the [OERu/Planning/OERu_marketing_communications_and_partner_engagement/Sound_bites_and_barriers#Sound_bites_capturing_the_essence_of_the_OERu|sound bites]:
- OERu is an international network of accredited organisations leading and facilitating access to more affordable and sustainable provision of education to recognised qualifications using the power of open source materials.
- Learners take courses for free and can count learning towards recognised credentials.
- We do this using open online courses - no password is required, you can learn at your own pace and take assessments when you're ready.
