Building and supporting international Communities of Interest:Open Educational Resources/Open content

Susan D'Antoni
UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning

presnted by Nancy George
University of Technology, Jamaica

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     Last modified: October 17, 2006
     Presentation date: 11/02/2006 10:00 AM in ST Windsor B
     (View Schedule)

Abstract
Open Educational Resources … why are they important?

The Open Educational Resources (OER) movement, by promoting the sharing, adaptation and contextualization of content, has the potential to facilitate the expansion of the offer of higher education. OER can be of use to teachers who can adapt and use them in their courses, and to learners for independent study.

An international Community of Interest … why is it important?

Open Educational Resources, whether full course materials or course elements, constitute an important resource to higher education institutions, teaching staff and learners. However, if there is little or no awareness of their availability, they cannot be exploited.

With support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning has created an international Community of Interest on OER, with the objective of increasing awareness, and supporting capacity building and informed decision making on the part of current and potential providers and users. Activities have been designed to foster an international dialogue and exchange of information, linking people who might not otherwise meet either in person or virtually to come together and participate in a debate.

Supporting such communities is directly related to UNESCO’s role in promoting international cooperation and acting as a clearinghouse.