MOOCs with IMPACT for EmployabilityUSAID Global Education Summit 2015Andrew Law, Director Open Media Unitandrew.law@open.ac.uk , @andrewjlaw

● UK’s largest university, 180,000 students registered students.● 374 undergraduate qualifications, 159 postgraduate qualifications● 77% have no previous HE qualifications at entry● 75% of our students work full or part-time during their studies● 80% of the top UK companies have sponsored staff on OU courses● Lowest fees in UK, online and …we offer free services

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What is The Open University, UK?

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OU and OER/free courses?

• OU Introduction to • Higher Education • Work and study skills

• 5m visitors pa (40m total)

• 1000 OER courses

• Free certificates & digital badges

• Offline/downloads possible

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OU and MOOCs?

• 70 leading worldwide HEIs

• 2.5m visitors since launch

• ~200 courses

• Highly social experience

• Certificates/exams for fee

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MOOCs for employability?

https://hbr.org/2015/09/whos-benefiting-from-moocs-and-why

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https://hbr.org/2015/09/whos-benefiting-from-moocs-and-why

MOOCs for employability?

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English in Action

AfricaOnline content also (mostly used) as off-line and print.

Transforming teaching qualityin elementary and secondary

schools.

740k teachers to present

Bangladesh Online, radio and print/offline

mobile materials.

Technology enhanced teacher education.

51k teachers

7 million learners by 2017

TESSA TESS India Improve the classroom experience

IndiaOnline content also (mostly used) as off-line and print.

Transforming teaching quality in elementary and secondary

schools.

800k teachers by 2016

Free learning for workforce development?

Massive, Open, Online Courses – aim to have ‘IMPACT’

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MOOCs for workforce development?

• The MOOC also saw over 3,000 enrolments from 140 countries.

• 99% of course completers said the MOOC improved their teaching

• 11% completed on average but 83% of ‘nominated’ participants completed the MOOC

• Great .. But this is not the only way of reaching with IMPACT.

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MOOCs that really IMPACT?

Informed(via data, surveys, local partner liaison, questioning platform owners) use of:

MediumDoes it allow for ‘graceful degradation’ offline , SIM/mobile flash card and print, resist techno-romanticism? Even if it is usable (accessible) can it be discovered/are people aware?

PartnershipIs there local collaboration in defining learning needs, content origination/adaptation and defining/delivering support process?

AdaptabilityHave you allowed for OER/Creative Commons to allow adaptation. If possible can the systems be open as well?

CertificationCan you recognise learning? Even ‘soft certification’ (can be free – e.g. Mozilla badges) leads to confidence/ motivation. Can you get employer/sector recognition?

Teaching/LearningAre there solutions for supporting learners (peer support, peer assessment, community volunteer guides, alumni, employment sector agencies/stakeholders)?