OERu/OERu 15.10 Meeting/Goal 2 Strategic priorities

=Goal 2=

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


 * pre-amble discussion outlining some of the existing practices, such as tools, working groups, etc...
 * feedback from new member: some over-dependence on wiki, newcomers could use a more guided introduction (some sort of light mentorship from existing member with a similar set of goals). Another suggestion that a clear set of on-boarding recommendations, etc... would be useful. (To some extent, these resources exist. Obviously we need to make that more explicit. - BL)
 * Re: Mentorship: a virtual space dedicated for mentors to communicate with newcomers?
 * New members were not finding core documents intended to introduce them. Search function reported to be not effective. Could those core documents be made available on the oeru.org page?
 * Desire expressed for formal recognition for new members (which can be useful for internal utility)
 * When direct (ie in-person, on-site mentorship) is possible, new members would find that very useful
 * Site visits

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

Baseline

 * Completed baseline survey of partners with a BGS or equivalent degree and the majority (60%+) indicated that most of the nominated courses would be recognised towards the local BGS.
 * Initial review of eCampusAlberta quality guidelines completed but have not progressed the publication of OERu quality guidelines
 * Invited all primary contacts of the OERu teaching partners to provide feedback on the draft guidelines for Credit Transfer and Course Articulation. 17% of the partners affirmed that the guidelines will work at their respective institutions. No partner has indicated that these guidelines will not work.
 * In the absence of minimum viable product for an exit credential, we have not progressed recommendations for system to communicate degree pathways and pricing models for services (summative assessment and other value-added partner services.)

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

Baseline

 * Initial draft of OERu partners and course development manual completed as well as draft outline for Getting started with OERu
 * Established new partner engagement group who have progressed a stratification of users and information needs for partner support resources.
 * Completed the resources for the DS4OER course and offered the pilot instance of the course. Ran a face-to-face course-design sprint reusing the existing resources.

Recommended KPIs for 2016

 * Consider mentorship relationship for new members - cross-mentorship (in key areas such as instructional design, etc...)
 * Prioritize "new partner engagement group" - if goal is to continue to add new members, strive to improve what most recent new members report
 * establish virtual communication space for mentors and new members
 * move some introductory onboarding resources to oeru.org (as opposed to depending on the wiki), desire expressed for more multimedia

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

Baseline

 * Working groups established and have been functioning well. OERF capacity constraints have delayed progress in initiating the Marketing and Communications group and we have not expanded community leadership roles beyond the existing working group conveners.
 * Two regional OERu meetings were convened during 2015.

Recommended KPIs for 2016

 * again, desire expressed by new members to have more human level support (as opposed to depending on materials, or courses)
 * mentors themselves will need to be supported with resources/training

Objective 4
Improve community engagement for OERu planning, implementation, technology innovation and technology integration

Baseline

 * Original KPI metrics were based on email lists which have now been replaced with more appropriate technology solutions for supporting the OERu implementation.
 * Initiated groups.oeru.org which now has 70 subscriptions across 8 different working groups. Subscriptions in working members has doubled since 2014, but still falls short of achieving an average of 4 members for each OERu partner.
 * 63% of the OERu teaching partners have at least one representative participating on a working group which has increased from 27% the previous year. This growth is attributed to the IAP process and conveners who have actively pursued registration on groups.oeru.org.
 * Installed an instance of Discourse for community.oeru.org as a trial for an open alternative for the main OERu community site and potential reuse as learner interaction technology.
 * Established a new Open Source Technologist position funded by additional contributions from 5 OERu partners. OERu has exceeded the 0.5FTE KPI for 2015.