Soldado R. M., Megías M. G., Haywood J. Open learning recognition in traditional universities. LIFELONG EDUCATION: The 21st Century.
2014. № 1 (5). DOI: 10.15393/j5.art.2014.2265

Education Management in an open global society

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Open learning recognition in traditional universities

Soldado Rosana Montes
D.Sc., secretary of Virtual Learning Centre at the University of Granada.
(Spain)
rosana@ugr.es

Megías Miguel Gea
D.Sc., head of Virtual Learning Centre at the University of Granada
(Spain)
mgea@ugr.es

Haywood Jeff
University of Edinburgh
(Great Britain)
jeff.haywood@ed.ac.uk

Keywords:
open educational resources (OER)
open educational programmes
open educational online courses
certification
learning recognition.

Abstract: the paper explores the implementation of open learning in the European university system. The concept of open learning is based on the use of open educational resources (OER), such as open educational programs and open online courses. The authors demonstrate the following advantages of open educational resources: education cost savings, an ability to continuously improve the educational content, accessibility and efficiency of education, changes in traditional educational practice. The examples of international cooperation on the development and promotion of OER are provided. Specifically, the results of the project "OERtest - Testing an Open Education Resource Framework for Europe" coordinated by the University of Granada are presented in the article. The emphasis is placed on the development of tools for the assessment and certification of learning outcomes achieved through the use of open educational resources. Particularly, eight different scenarios of OER-based learning recognition by traditional universities are considered. They were created by the project group and are feasible to be implemented in institutions of higher education. The paper covers all the possible situations in which the certification will be completed by a university or a consortium of universities. They are discussed from the viewpoint of a university which is being asked by a student to process the accreditation of OER-based learning. The authors analyze the following scenarios: both regular studying and studying of an OER module at the same university; student exchange programmes similar to Erasmus which are based on trust relationship between different European universities in the Bologna Process and on the use of ECTS credit system; studying of an OER module at a university with no trust relationship with home university of a student. The situation when a learner is not a university student, but wants to get specific academic credits is also discussed in the article. Besides, open educational resources can be also accessed from home, without attending a university. The authors aim to make the process of OER-based learning easier to understand for traditional universities. The set of scenarios allows a university to evaluate the range of possibilities for providing open educational resources. Most of the scenarios provide an increased flexibility of educational programmes for students in their home universities. If universities become the certification centers of non-formal learning outcomes, a massive open online course model (MOOC) will be able to provide higher education under certain conditions to those wishing to pursue it online.

The original article is freely available. Montes R., Gea M., Haywood J. Reconocimiento del aprendizaje abierto en las universidades tradicionales // Journal for Educators, Teachers and Trainers. 2013. Vol. 4 (2). P. 82–94. URL: http://www.ugr.es/~jett/index.php
The material is obtained within the project partly funded by the European project OERtest EACEA Lifelong Learning Program OERtest: Testing an Open Education Resource Framework for Europe (agreement 510718-LLP-2010-ES-ERASMUS-EVC). The presented article reflects only the authors' point of view, the European Commission is not re-sponsible for the content or opinions expressed therein.

Paper submitted on: 01/22/2014; Accepted on: 02/20/2014; Published online on: 03/25/2014.

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15393/j5.art.2014.2265