OERu/Strategic plan 2014 - 2017/Strategic plan 2015 - 2017/Strategic plan/Goal 2

Goal 2: Improve processes for efficient OERu operations that underpin academic quality at scale

The OERu operates efficiently at scale when:

1. Agreed and approved guidelines and corresponding processes ensure the quality of its courses to maximise reuse, credit transfer and course articulation within the network;
2. Adequate resources and professional development opportunities are available to support the needs of course design and development for the OERu model and capability development needs of partner staff for collaborative open design approaches;
3. Appropriate organisational structures, communication channels and regular meetings support the needs of the network to successfully implement the OERu strategic plan and operational priorities for the corresponding year;
4. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation informs the design, process and product of the OERu collaboration.

Objective 1: Develop, implement and maintain operational guidelines for OERu quality assurance, credit transfer and course articulation

Plan targets	Key performance indicator
2014 Baseline	Initial review of eCampusAlberta quality guidelines by Course Approval and Quality working group completed Selected partner survey on credit transfer completed by Credit Transfer and Course Articulation working group with basis to recommend credit transfer guidelines for the network. Baseline survey of OERu partners with Bachelor of General Studies (or equivalent degree) including plausibility assessment of credit transfer of existing course nominations completed. Average credit transfer rate of 50% of nominated OERu courses towards institutions which have a Bachelor of General Studies (or equivalent credential) is probable.
2015 Operational target	Finalise OERu guidelines for credit transfer and course articulation targeting 30% adoption by OERu partners by end of 2015* Develop recommendations for system to coordinate and communicate credit transfer and articulation pathways to OERu learners. Develop recommendations for system to communicate degree pathways and pricing models for services (summative assessment and other value-added partner services.) Develop guidelines and recommendations for measuring OERu learner satisfaction. Publish and adopt OERu quality guidelines.
2017 Strategic target	80% of OERu partners adopt credit transfer and course articulation guidelines. All OERu course developments meet the minimum quality assurance guidelines. Achieve an average credit transfer rate of 60% of all OERu courses towards institutions who have a Bachelor of General Studies (or equivalent credential).
Risk: In the absence of agreed standard processes for credit transfer and course articulation credit transfer rates will decrease while increasing the average cost for design, development and delivery of OERu courses. Poor quality OERu courses will tarnish the reputation of the OERu and its partner institutions. *Adoption means that the appropriate OERu executive manager signs off that OERu credit transfer and course articulation guidelines align with local policy partner policy protocols.

Strategic approach

1. The OERu partners retain decision-making autonomy regarding all aspects of summative assessment, local OERu credit transfer and course articulation.
2. The OERu partners retain decision-making autonomy regarding the pricing of related services.
3. The OERu focuses on operating within existing institutional policies minimising the need for policy change at partner institutions.
4. The OERu does not prescribe or dictate pedagogical models encouraging diversity yet generating opportunities for reuse and improved efficiency for local offerings on campus.

2015 operational issues

1. Progress consultative development of minimum quality standards required for successful design and development of OERu courses to maximise reuse potential within the network without dictating pedagogical design.
2. Engage registrar level input and initial sign-off of the credit transfer and course articulation guidelines by a representative sample of OERu partners.
3. Develop systems to co-ordinate and communicate pathways of study and credit transfer options to OERu learners.
4. Agree process and systems to communicate the cost of related services to OERu learners.

Objective 2: Develop, implement and maintain resources to support partners for effective engagement in the OERu network

Plan targets	Key performance indicator
2014 Baseline	Initial draft of OERu partners and course development manual published on the wiki for review. 30% of resources for digital skills for collaborative OER development completed to support OERu partner course sprint.
2015 Operational target	Review, refine and publish OERu partners and course development manual (incorporating critical friend review from a number of new OERu partners) Complete digital skills for collaborative OER development and run pilot offering during 2015. Establish working group / task force for new OERu partners and new staff joining collaborative OERu activities.
2017 Strategic target	Induction programme for staff for new OERu partners implemented.
Risk: Staff at OERu partners do not have the necessary skills or experience in open design resulting in duplication of effort and increased cost for local assembly of OERu courses.

Strategic approach

1. Open and authentic "work-based-learning" approach to gaining experience and developing capability in the OERu network.

2015 operational considerations

1. Accelerating the rate for skills and knowledge acquisition for OERu partner staff to contribute meaningfully to the OERu global collaboration.
2. Widening participation from OERu partner staff for effective engagement in the OERu network.

Objective 3: Improve communications and build capability to expand roles for distributed and networked leadership to implement the OERu

Plan targets	Key performance indicator
2014 Baseline	8 working group conveners 2 national OERu partner meetings during 2014 (Australia and New Zealand)
2015 Operational target	Establish regional / national OERu hubs aiming to achieve 4 regional / national OERu meetings Expand OERu community leadership roles (and corresponding buddy system to mentor new community leaders.)
2017 Strategic target	OERu leadership roles formally recognised by OERu partner institutions as part of mainstream activities.
Risk: Over reliance on a small number of individuals because the OERu does not have a succession planning strategy in place to identify and develop capability and individuals to assume leadership roles in the OERu international partnership curtailing potential to scale the collaboration.

Strategic approach

1. A leadership model informed by the principles of meritocracy.
2. Learn by doing approach where prospective community leaders build capability by working with more experienced OERu collaborators.

2015 operational considerations

1. Consider recommendations for establishing regional OERu hubs (Goals and objectives, how the should function and liaise with the OERu structures.)
2. Identify leadership gaps and corresponding proposals to expand and support new community leadership roles.

Objective 4: Continue and expand the CIPP monitoring and evaluation of the OERu implementation

Plan targets	Key performance indicator
2014 Baseline	Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) model adopted as evaluation framework for the OERu implementation Context evaluation completed Australian Digital Futures Institute commissioned to conduct Input evaluation.
2015 Operational target	Collaborative review of the survey items for the input evaluation Conduct input evaluation survey and selected qualitative interviews Publish input evaluation report.
2017 Strategic target	Process evaluation of OERu implementation.
Risk: OERu decision making is not informed by the evolution of the project disregarding evidence for agile and responsive implementation planning.

Strategic approach

1. Evidence-based monitoring and evaluation of the OERu implementation.
2. Agile and responsive implementation planning.

2015 operational considerations

1. Consider and review the appropriateness of the OERu structural and procedural designs for achieving future success.