Jerard Bretts, OpenLearn Programme Manager The Open University 29 November 2007 The Impact of

Two year Project, 2006-8 Grant from William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Launch: October 25, 2006 Concludes: April 2008

The Open University is open to people, places, methods and ideas. It promotes educational opportunity and social justice by providing high-quality university education to all who wish to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential. Through academic research, pedagogic innovation and collaborative partnership it seeks to be a world leader in the design, content and delivery of supported open and distance learning. Mission of the UK Open University

“ The philosophy of open access and sharing knowledge is a wonderful fit with the founding principles of The Open University and with the University’s very strong commitment to open educational access and widening participation. The University will be developing forms of open content e-learning which will reach less experienced learners and, we hope, encourage an appetite for further learning.” Professor Brenda Gourley Vice-Chancellor of The Open University

Goals of OpenLearn To make some of The Open University’s distance learning materials freely accessible in an international web-based open content environment and, in so doing, to advance open content delivery method technologies by: Deploying leading-edge learning management tools for learner support; Encouraging the creation of non-formal collaborative learning communities; and Enhancing international research-based knowledge about modern pedagogies for higher education.

Deploying leading-edge learning management tools for learner support;

Encouraging the creation of non-formal collaborative learning communities; and

Enhancing international research-based knowledge about modern pedagogies for higher education.

Goals of OpenLearn Utilise Moodle as the VLE platform; Develop two complementary sites: the LearningSpace the LabSpace Have 900 learning hours in the Learning Space for initial launch in October 2006 rising to 5400 hours at the end of two years; Make a further 8100 hours of material available within the Lab Space at the end of two years. Add a range of open source collaborative learning tools to the LabSpace devised by our Knowledge Media Institute.

Utilise Moodle as the VLE platform;

Develop two complementary sites:

the LearningSpace

the LabSpace

Have 900 learning hours in the Learning Space for initial launch in October 2006 rising to 5400 hours at the end of two years;

Make a further 8100 hours of material available within the Lab Space at the end of two years.

Add a range of open source collaborative learning tools to the LabSpace devised by our Knowledge Media Institute.

Over 310 study units published Plus 6,815 learning hours in LabSpace 449 Audio-visual objects in units Over 16,000 Instant Messaging users Over 900 FlashMeetings booked Over 2,000 Compendium downloads Over 12,000 units printed per week

Over 310 study units published

Plus 6,815 learning hours in LabSpace

449 Audio-visual objects in units

Over 16,000 Instant Messaging users

Over 900 FlashMeetings booked

Over 2,000 Compendium downloads

Over 12,000 units printed per week

24/7 service OU largest Moodle developer group in world New e-production working methods Rich publishing and learning environment New functionality introduced e.g. RSS My OpenLearn More download formats

24/7 service

OU largest Moodle developer group in world

New e-production working methods

Rich publishing and learning environment

New functionality introduced e.g.

RSS

My OpenLearn

More download formats

Over 1 million unique visitors since launch Over 20k new visitors a week Over 34k registered users Over 3,000 registrations on OU courses Users from over 160 countries 20k signed up to monthly e-newsletter Translations into Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese Use also happening through social networking sites

Over 1 million unique visitors since launch

Over 20k new visitors a week

Over 34k registered users

Over 3,000 registrations on OU courses

Users from over 160 countries

20k signed up to monthly e-newsletter

Translations into Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese

Use also happening through social networking sites

Outreach initiatives e.g. BME group at Bradford College Staff at Barnardos & Children’s Workforce Network Mirror sites through DVD provision 34 skills study units Website areas in development for The Open University in Scotland and British Chambers of Commerce

Outreach initiatives e.g.

BME group at Bradford College

Staff at Barnardos & Children’s Workforce Network

Mirror sites through DVD provision

34 skills study units

Website areas in development for The Open University in Scotland and British Chambers of Commerce

Over 50 research outputs Over 1,000 downloads of research papers OpenLearn 2007 Conference: 37 conference sessions & over 100 participants 5 user trials completed Over 5,000 feedback emails received 5 newly-funded research projects drawn upon availability of OpenLearn New partnerships and alliances e.g. UNIDERP

Over 50 research outputs

Over 1,000 downloads of research papers

OpenLearn 2007 Conference: 37 conference sessions & over 100 participants

5 user trials completed

Over 5,000 feedback emails received

5 newly-funded research projects drawn upon availability of OpenLearn

New partnerships and alliances e.g. UNIDERP