Open Scotland SummitSummary

27 June 2013

Framing Statement and Hope for the day (Lorna)Open Policies can develop Scotland’s unique education offering, support social inclusion and inter-institutional collaboration and sharing and enhance quality and sustainability

There would be:

Shared Strategic interest and commitment to open policies and practices in Scotland

The Case for Open EducationFrom Cable Green/ Flash Presentations:-

The ethical arguments and business cases for Open Education for Government and Funding Bodies and institutions are a no-brainer. Key constructs are  Publically funded resources should be openly

accessible. cost of distribution affordability for the learner widening access to education improving quality and access to data (Open Data) providing flexibility and ability to respond to

innovation and change (Open Source)

The Old into the NewCompelling arguments that the old models for publishing research and content are outdated

New models needed and again the arguments for these are compelling, but require changes in attitude and practice.

University Business Models don’t necessarily need to be built on sale of content. Business models need to be built on access to great faculty, support, facilities, maximising efficiency through collaboration etc.

The UKOER programme evidences interest and change in practices (Scotland has missed out on this)

The Old into the New

Some recent innovations (e.g. MOOCs, Open Badges) will they be disruptive to HE as we know it?

Some steps towards OER but licensing under the most restrictive levels of Open licensing. Therefore limiting (re-use, revise, re-mix, re-distribute the new thing).

QA can be a barrier to OER. There needs to be a shift in attitude/culture to: ‘Not invented here to proudly borrowed from there’. Colleagues can invoke a non-endorsement clause in situations where original work is re-purposed but original authors don’t approve of the rep-purposed work.

What can we learn from other Countries?Work done in England/Wales through the

HEFCE funded OER Programme.

Parallels between Scotland and the Nordic Countries ( Tore Hoel Presentation) – Norwegian White paper on Open Education/ Welsh Government: OER/MOOC Work.

What can be learnt? Can we use this to springboard ahead? What scope is there for working collaboratively with other countries to do this?

Key feedback Points from discussions – challenges/issues

Not just ‘open’ artefacts/resources but Open Practice and Open Mindset

What do we need to do to change culture & practice?

Open Policies

What sort of open policies do we need (e.g. Funding publishing research, tools). Challenge is to make them palatable and operational.

Conflicting Business Models for Research New models for publishing research.

New models for HE:

Big Ticket Govt agendas: Post 16/Widening Access/CfE /Knoweldge Transfer– driving changes in curriculum models,/ 2-way knowledge exchange models need to work collaboratively between education sectors and with industry.

Capitalise on change – provides opportunities for new things

Key feedback Points from discussions – challenges/issues

New models for HE:

Learners as the co-creators of knowledge ( how do we engage them)

Key feedback Points from discussions – Priorities

The learner needs to be central ( not institutions) Open Practice and cultural issues are a priority

Key feedback Points from discussions – Open Declaration for Scotland

Paris declaration needs reviewed and broadened for our purposes.

Paris declaration focuses on ‘States” we need to define our own stakeholders and we need to work to a common topology to enable effective communication and use of vocabulary (e.g. Open education/open Learning) and set actions that move us forward

Use the fact that the Paris Declaration is action focussed. Defining our own declaration statements e.g.

◦ Devise a topology/conceptual framework for open learning/education in Scotland.

◦ Scope the different stakeholders and sectors contributing to open learning/education in Scotland

◦ Use knowledge/resource transfer to establish a two-way process between the education sectors and other sectors to inform economic development and learning.

What happens Next? Establish a working group (like Wales/ Norway) that researches into the

area of open education and informs future Government white papers? Think about the membership here – invite contributions from the nations further ahead of us. Ensure we have learner input./ focus on Key Government Priorities and Agendas.

Key Deliverable: Report/Position Paper: Evidence of benefits of Openness/Examples of need and impact on Government Priorities (widening access (e.g. articulation, WBL, knowledge transfer).

Key Deliverable: our own Scottish Open Learning declaration (topologies, grids, action focussed statements, clarity about who contributes – wider than the education sectors). Join up with other UK Devolved Countries.

Key Deliverable: Government Policy (that need needs stakeholder group to state how they will engage and contribute to the implementation of the policy. Secure Funding. – follow the money!

Underpinned by different sector action plans