OERu/Planning/MVP task force/Second meeting

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  • Date: 8 June 2015, 10:00AM NZST (Click on link for local time.)
  • Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/541899894
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Aims

The aims of the meeting are to:

  1. Review progress on the assembly of courses for the OERu 1st year of study
  2. Note new additions to the confirmed courses list
  3. Consider options for quality standards and review checklist for OERu MVP courses
  4. Review progress on the MVP technology platform
  5. Note related projects (Marketing and analytics).



Agenda items

  1. Welcome and introductions
  2. Progress report of confirmed MVP courses
  3. Support and communication technologies
  4. CertHE Framework approval process.
  5. MVP course quality standards and review check lists (Item suggested by Adrian Stagg)
  6. MVP technology platform
  7. Marketing, communications and fund development project (see marketing plan)
    • Student video animatic
    • Marketing package for OERu partners with nominated exit credentials (New release, OERu blog post and guidelines for cross-marketing.)
    • Mautic - Marketing automation software.
  8. Analytics project

Meeting report and key decisions

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Summary of key decisions
  1. The OERu is on target to complete minimum viable product of 15 courses contributing to a full 1st year of study leading to two exit credentials by 30 September 2016:
    • 4 courses will be completed by 30 June 2016
    • An additional 8 courses will be completed by 30 September 2016
    • An additional 3 courses, already available, require minor adaptations for the MVP delivery platform to be completed by 30 September 2016.
  2. The University of Highlands and Islands (UHI) has confirmed the approval in principle of the CertHE (Business) as an exit award for the OERu 1st year of study and will be developing open courses for the credit requirement of a half-year of study.
    • The OERF has commissioned the assembly of the remaining business courses required for UHI to award the CertHE (Business).
  3. The OERF will complete a Single Sign-On solution for learners using OERu technologies and redesign the main OERu site for improved navigation of the exit awards for the OERu 1st year of study and corresponding courses on offer, the partner institutions offering assessment services, pricing and where credit transfer will be recognised in time for the launch of the OERu MVP.
  4. Advised of the investment in marketing resources for prospective OERu learners and a project to enhance learner analytics for OERu courses.



2nd MVP Task Force Meeting
  1. Attendance: Gail Morong (TRU), Dave Lane (OERF), Randy Fisher (OERF consultant), David Bull (USQ), Rory McGreal (Athabasca University and OERF Board), Christine Daviault (OERF consultant), Cameron Campbell (OERF Consultant), Adrian Stagg (USQ), Marc Singer (TESU), Ari Afflekt (USQ) and Deborah Mayersen (UOW). Apologies: Marcus Harmes, Jim Taylor, Linda Ward, Farhad Dastur.
  2. [0:46] Orientation
    • Reaffirmed the criteria for success of the MVP task force to complete a minimum of 10 exemplar courses by 30 September 2016 to be hosted on a common platform and available from one location with pathways to two exist credentials for the OERu first year of study.
  3. [2:07] Introductions
  4. [11:35] Reviewed the 2016 MVP implementation plan
    • Advised that Athabasca University is working on two courses for MVP, i.e. Microeconomics and Macroeconomics and both are available as CLEP examanitations. These courses must still be added to the confirmed course list.
    • Noted that the MVP task force is on target to exceed the minimum KPI threshold of 10 courses, now that 19 courses have been confirmed for the OERu 1st year of study.
  5. Progress report
    • Courses confirmed for completion by 30 June 2016
      1. Creating sustainable futures (Otago Polytechnic) - 1st micro course completed. Remaining 3 micro courses will be completed by 30 June
      2. Regional relations in Asia and the Pacific (USQ) - Division into 4 micro courses nearing completion. Now busy with final tweaking of the course pages.
        • Confirmed that micro-credentials (digital badges and certificates of achievement for assessed learning) will be available for this course.
      3. Principles of management (OERF commissioned course) - 1st micro course completed. Remaining 2 micro courses about 80% completed.
      4. Principles of marketing (OERF commissioned course) - Estimate 40% complete across the 3 micro courses.
        • Noted the value of embedding images from the Wikimedia Commons which saves time because all metadata and license attributions are imported into WikiEducator.
    • Courses confirmed for completion by 30 September 2016
      1. Corporate communication (OERF commissioned course) - Micro course division has been determined and targeting completion by 30 August 2016 commencing active assembly after 30 June 2016.
        • Shared reference to the sway.com site which apparently provides search functionality for openly licensed images. However, users should note that site registration is required. For more information on alternatives to find open images see Finding OER or search.creativecommons.org
      2. Indigenous Australia (CSU) Original course is completed and now dividing into 4 micro courses for the MVP platform. Academics have approved the division of the assessment design for four micro courses and now commencing work to reconfigure the course outlines for publishing the micro courses.
      3. World history in the modern era (OERF commissioned course) New confirmed course. Representative sample of learning pathways have been assembled and course contracted for completion by 30 September 2016. Experienced OERu author working on the conversion.
      4. Microeconomics (Athabasca University). Confirmed that AU is working on assembling the course for the MVP delivery platform and will be available for CLEP examination and credit transfer at AU and North American partners.
        • Noted that the OERF will liaise with the AU developer to ensure alignment with the MVP delivery platform.
      5. Macroeconomics (Athabasca University). Confirmed that AU is working on assembling the course for the MVP delivery platform and will be available for CLEP examination and credit transfer at AU and North American partners.
        • Noted that the OERF will liaise with the AU developer to ensure alignment with the MVP delivery platform.
      6. Introduction to project management (OERF commissioned course) New confirmed course. Consultant has been confirmed to complete assembly by 30 September 2016.
      7. Learning in a digital age (Otago Polytechnic). New confirmed course.
        • Noted that Gráinne Conole has been contracted as lead consultant to complete this course by 30 September 2016.
        • Reported that the 1st LiDA course team meeting to agree the curriculum outline for maximising reuse potential of the course for OERu partners was held last week.
      8. Introduction to Business (UHI) Confirmed that the assembly of this course will be completed by 30 September 2016 for recognition towards the CertHE business at UHI.
    • Completed courses requiring adaptation for micro-course division and the MVP technology platform - completion date TBD
      1. Art appreciation and techniques (TRU) - course has been completed and available in WikiEducator, but requires minor work to convert for the new OERu course site .
      2. Introduction to research methods in Psychology (TRU) - course has been completed and available in the WikiEducator. Course has been completed and available in WikiEducator, but requires minor work to convert for the new OERu course site.
        • Noted that the conversion into micro-courses has not yet been assigned at TRU. OERF will liaise with TRU to determine if the Foundation can assist in providing some resource support for the conversion work.
        • Confirmed that OERu partners retain decision-making autonomy regarding assessment and that partners can utilise one challenge examination for the related set of micro courses.
        • Noted that some OERu partners will implement micro-credentials for assessed learning as building blocks for full course transcript credit.
      3. Critical reasoning (TESU). Course has been completed and available on Google sites. Work has commenced in converting to the wiki MVP format.
        • Noted that TESU are working on identifying additional support resources and materials for the course.
    • Courses confirmed for future inclusion in the OERu 1st year of study
      1. Introduction to customer centred business - Targeting completion during 2017.
        • Note: At UHI, once the CertHE has been validated at UHI, the course can be officially listed on the calendar.
      2. Introduction to operations management - Targeting completion during 2017.
        • Note: At UHI, once the CertHE has been validated at UHI, the course can be officially listed on the calendar.
      3. Elite sport performance: Psychological perspectives (USQ) Open textbook for the course has been published and USQ have offered a MOOC based on the text. Additional approvals are required before the course could be offered through OERu for formal academic credit.
  6. [32:26] Approval of the CertHE (Business) framework at UHI as the 2nd exit credential for the OERu 1st year of study.
    • Noted that there are a number of internal committee decisions required for approval of the CertHE (Business) framework document at UHI.
    • Noted the CertHE framework proposal has been tabled and endorsed by the three required committees.
    • Announced the approval in principle of the CertHE (Business) pending the final Validation decision.
    • Explained that the final approval process is "validation" where UHI needs to consider the programme documents for each of the OERu business courses proposed for credit transfer into the CertHE.
    • Confirmed that UHI is planning to assemble the equivalent of a half-year of study (60 UK credits) as open online courses towards the CertHE (Business) to meet the local residency requirement. The remainder of courses (i.e the equivalent of 5 North American 3-credit courses or 15 micro courses) will be assembled by the OERu to be available for credit transfer into the CertHE (Business).
    • Noted that the OERu network is on target to complete 6 business courses for the CertHE by 30 September 2016.
    • Proposed that learners will register for the individual UHI modules (courses). Once they have successfully completed the summative assessments for the UHI courses they could apply for the CertHE (Business) award at UHI as an exit credential in conjunction with transfer credit from successful completion of the designated OERu courses specified in this award.
    • Acknowledged that the OERu will need to prepare answers for questions relating to assessment for transfer credit for the the validation event.
    • Agreed that the OERu partners with support from the OERF who are offering business courses for the MVP will provide documentation to support preparation for the UHI validation process.
    • Confirmed that the Registrar at UHI is comfortable to receive the official documentation from OERu partners relating to courses proposed for credit transfer into the CertHE (Business) for input into the validation approval process.
    • Agreed that the OERF and relevant OERu partners offering assessment services for the CertHE business courses will work with UHI in providing the relevant course documentation required for the validation event.
  7. [44:10] Reminded members of the communication technologies used to support the task force and encouraged members who don't have user accounts to join.
  8. [45:20] MVP quality standards and review check lists
    • Proposed the open development of a quality review tool for OERu courses.
    • Clarified that the intention of the proposed quality review tool is to list principles of good practice for OERu open courses, i.e. it will not dictate pedagogical implementation.
    • Emphasised the importance for OERu courses to meet minimum standards for accessibility; design for cultural diversity and open licensing practices.
    • Noted UHI's:
      1. Blended learning standards and
      2. Accessibility checklist
    • Recommended the Quality eToolkit published under open license by eCampus Alberta (an OERu partner) and derivatives developed at Otago Polytechnic and TANZ e-campus.
    • Agreed to establish an open project to develop quality standards and review check lists for OERu courses.
    • Agreed that Adrian Stagg (USQ) will coordinate the project.
  9. [1:05:57] Highlighted the need to package OERu courses for easy download and ability to run locally offline for learners who have expensive or unreliable internet connectivity.
    • Noted the prototype static website export tool as a possible solution
    • Acknowledged the complexity of the challenge noting limited coding capacity of the OERF.
    • Suggested that this would be an ideal community source project where partners donated coding time or the OERF sourced external funding to expand coding capacity to achieve this functionality.
  10. [1:10:35] MVP technology platform
    • Reported on progress of the Single Sign-On project noting a test system for a user to log into a "login service" and use this identify to access an OERu supported service. Currently working with the resource bank as a test case for expanding to the OERu technology services including course sites, forums.oeru.org, WikiEducator and other services.
    • Clarified the purpose of the OERu SSO project namely to achieve a consistent user identity across our services rather than managing access to services.
    • Highlighted that the OERF as an open source organisation will share documented processes on how we implemented SSO as well as the underlying code for partner institutions.
    • Advised members of the OERu website project which will replace the current OERu site and improve solutions for learners to navigate course offerings, leading to available awards with clear information on pricing and partners offering summative assessment services from the course management system.
  11. Marketing, communications and fund development project
    • Advised that a portion of the funding for this project will be allocated to the development of marketing resources for prospective OERu learning including a short video which partner institutions will be able to brand.
  12. Learner analytics
    • Noted that the Hewlett Foundation have confirmed support for developing and improving learner analytics capability for OERu courses.


Action list

  1. Add the Athabasca MVP courses to the confirmed list.
  2. OERF to arrange discussion with team at TRU regarding conversion of their completed courses for the micro-course format.
  3. OERF to liaise with Athabasca University to confirm requirements for the MVP technology platform.
  4. Establish wiki page to support the UHI validation process regarding documentation on course descriptions and related assessment processes of the OERu business courses.
  5. Arrange meeting with UHI Registrar and Andy Brown to plan process for submitting relevant documentation for the UHI validation process.
  6. Establish wiki page for coordinating the documentation associated with the "external" business courses required for validation of the CertHE (Business)
  7. UHI will confirm the date for validation.