The Zentrale für Unterrichtsmedien (ZUM) is a nonprofit organization in Germany that promotes open educational practices and resources. It launched a wiki platform in 2008 that allows schools and universities to create their own wikis. ZUM also started a teacher network in 2009 where educators can discuss and share materials. ZUM innovates through its wiki platform that enables collaborative creation of open educational content. It approaches quality by using social learning features like wikis, blogs, and forums to create and evaluate open resources.

1. Template Sections for completion:
Case Study Title:
Zentrale für Unterrichtsmedien
Case Study Country:
Germany
Type of organisation described by the case study, address of organisation,
hyperlink to organisation, hyperlink to case study source:
HE
http://www.zum.de
http://wiki.zum.de/Wiki-Family
Case Study Contributed by:
Ulf Ehlers
Sections 1-10
1. Mandatory - A brief summary of the institution to be used as a case study
About 500 words please on a description of the institution, its OER history
and approach.
The Zentrale für Unterichtsmedien im Internet e.V. (abbrev. ZUM.DE or ZUM)
is a charitable association founded September 11, 1997. Using and shaping
the internet to make it a viable teaching and learning aid for all types of
school as well as extracurricular education within the German-speaking area
is ZUM’s goal.
The Wiki-family of ZUM, launched 2008, is a free service, enabling schools
and universities to set up their own independent Wiki, which can make use of
all the ZUM-Wiki’s technical features. March 1, 2009, ZUM started the
teachers’ network ZUM-Unity, where approximately 600 registered users
(status November 2009) exchange their opinions in forms and blogs. ZUM is
cooperating with lernmodule.net, a charitable society for advancement of
new media in schools and universities. This cooperation’s objective is to
provide students with free learning modules including an evaluation of
success.
Additionally, selected content of GEO-magazine can be downloaded without
cost for the subjects Biology, Physics, History, Religious Education, Philosophy
and Ethics.
2. Quality – OER/OEP
How does the institution approach quality in OER? Is there any current
indication of a quality concept or process? Does the institution perceive

2. quality from the perspective of the quality of open educational resources or
the quality of open educational practice? How does the institution show
quality through OEP versus quality of OEP? What methods, concepts and
practices are used to enhance the quality of OEP?
Use of Wikis, blogs and forums, as well as the supply of learning modules
with evaluation of success. Creating of a social learning network.
3. Innovation
How can OER/OEP innovate educational practices? What current innovative
practices are there in the institution? Please do not regard innovation from
just a technology perspective!
The Wiki-family of ZUM, launched 2008, is a free service, enabling schools
and universities to set up their own independent Wiki, which can make use of
all the ZUM-Wiki’s technical features. March 1, 2009, ZUM started the
teachers’ network ZUM-Unity, where approximately 600 registered users
(status November 2009) exchange their opinions in forms and blogs.
4. Policy
What are the current OER/OEP policy arrangements at institutional and
national level across Europe/the World?
5. Actors
What actors are involved in OER/OEP? Is there any evidence to show that
OER actors do not always promote OEP but “only” access to OER?
• Teachers can form discussion groups and exchange materials through
a WIKI platform
• Learners can find and contribute materials
6. Initiatives
What OER/OEP initiatives can be evidenced? Is there any evidence to show
that OER initiatives do not always promote OEP but “only” access to OER?
7. Open Educational Practices
Can you identify some case studies/ descriptions which form the illustrative
base for a more general model of OEP?
8. Tools and Repositories
What tools and repositories are being used to deliver OER/OEP? For example
GLOW, Connexions.
Are there any other special tools for OER/OEP? e.g. Cloudworks, in
which practices can be discussed and validated?
Are there any tools for Visualisation? e.g. CompendiumLD
Are there any tools for Argumentation? e.g. Cohere
WIKIs and weblogs

3. 9. Strategies
Can you identify any strategies for organisations to use OER/OEP? Can you
identify any business models that promote OER/OEP?
Access and exchange around learning materials.
10. Current barriers and enablers
What are the barriers to the use of OER/OEP? Is there any evidence to how
these barriers have been overcome? What are the enablers to the use of OER/
OEP?