Why Open Course Frameworks?

Michael Caulfield, Director of Blended and Networked LearningWashington State University Vancouver

The Future Is Blended

● It (can be) more effective● Students want it● It (might be) cheaper

WE ARE MAKING HEADWAY oN HELPING Professors Evolve PRACTICE

● Facilitating online discussions● Using backend data to make decisions● Navigating multiple new tools● Moving high-impact practices into the classroom

But We Still Have Cottage Industry Model of Production

● Typical incentives: course release, small stipend, nothing.● Typical (additional) time spent: 40-130 hours for 45 hours of online content

● Ratio: 1:1 (low), 3:1 (high).● Typical team size: one.

We Are (Way) Out of Line with What Industry Spends

Source: How Long Does it Take to Create Learning? (Chapman Alliance)

We Are (Way) Out of Line with What Industry Spends

Source: How Long Does it Take to Create Learning? (Chapman Alliance)

Publisher Solution: Advantages

● Marginal Cost Advantage● High-Quality Materials● Data-driven Revision● Increased Specialization

Publisher Solution: Disadvantages

● Cost to Students● Loss of Local Connection/Control/Coherence● Separation from Data● Educational Monoculture

Open Course Frameworks Build on Success of Open Textbooks

Publisher/Open Solution: Advantages

● Marginal Cost Advantage● High-Quality Materials (Getting There)● Data-driven Revision● Increased Specialization

Open Course Frameworks Address Critical Problems

● Cost to Students – Cheaper or Free● Loss of Local Connection – Light repurposing can provide● Separation from Data – Runs in our own systems (not pub. site)● Educational Monoculture – Diversity provided by many remixes and community of

practice.

Open Course Frameworks Are Part of Larger Strategy

● Support Evolving Practice● Provide professional development● Connect with tools and support● Push innovation, not renovation

● Solve the Digital Materials Bottleneck● Now: Identify possible publisher support ● Now: Look for small initial wins● Long Term: Explore and promote Open Course Frameworks use (and cross-institutional

collaboration)

Thank you.

Michael Caulfield

Blog: Hapgood.usGoogle+ : gplus.to/michaelcaulfieldTwitter: @holdenTeaching the Distributed Flip G+ Community: tinyurl.com/distflip