Presentation to early career researchers in the Centre for Research in Education and Educational Technology (CREET) in Jan 2019

1. OPEN RESEARCH
CREET Academy, 11th January 2019
Dr. Rob Farrow
Dr. Beck Pitt
OER Hub / IET / LTI A / WELS
rob.farrow@open.ac.uk
@philosopher1978

2. 2
01 Exploring Openness
A look at notions of openness and reasons to be open
02 Openness through the Research Cycle
Understanding openness as a feature of the entire
research process
03 Openness and Impact
Openness can be a route to impact
04 Benefits & Risks
An overview
05 Tips & Resources
Some materials that may be useful
06 Reflections
Concluding remarks and discussion
STRUCTURE

3. Exploring Openness
A look at notions of openness and reasons to be open

4. 4
WHAT DOES OPENNESS MEAN TO YOU? (BRAINSTORM 10 mins)
EXPLORING OPENNESS
“Open House’ by Beck Pitt is licensed CC BY 2.0: https://www.flickr.com/photos/40959105@N00/33531682466/in/dateposted-public/

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VITAE FRAMEWORK
EXPLORING OPENNESS
OPEN ACCESS
• Making scholarly publications available (online) to anyone regardless of their ability to pay
• Non-traditional dissemination strategies
OPEN DATA
• Making (raw) research data available to anyone for interrogation and reuse
OPEN PLATFORMS, TOOLS & SERVICES
• Opening access to code and software
• Tools to promote efficiency in research and scholarly communication
AN OPEN APPROACH TO CONDUCTING RESEARCH
• Open and collaborative approaches
• Stakeholder involvement
TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
• Raising awareness of research outputs more widely

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WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TOLD US IN PREVIOUS SESSIONS
EXPLORING OPENNESS
• Availability to share with people around the world
• Making research outputs available
• Social media can be a two-way street
• Openness as data sharing and removing barriers to this (e.g. working with vulnerable
people)
• Some positive aspects: availability & accessibility of information; fairness; collaboration;
potential empowerment
• Openness could allow people to do things with your work that you wouldn’t do yourself
• Some potential limitations: openness can feel like exposing yourself to criticism;
language can be a barrier; concerns about quality
• Openness can be a principle that is not realised in practice
• Openness an improve discoverability as long as good practice is observed
• Open source software

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AN ETHOS OF OPEN?
EXPLORING OPENNESS
Values: Commitment to social justice, parity of participation (Hodgkinson-Williams &
Trotter, 2018); widening participation (Gourley & Lane, 2009); human rights (Blessinger &
Bliss, 2016); duty (Caswell, Henson, Jensen & Wiley, 2008)
Plasticity/Agility: An excellent candidate for sloganizing is the word ‘open.’ Immediately
one uses it, the options polarize. To be open (depending on context) is to be not closed,
restricted, prejudiced or clogged; but free, candid, generous, above board, mentally
flexible, future oriented. (Hill, 2010[1975]:2)
Authenticity: I can list for you any number of examples of companies and organizations
that have attached that word “open” to their products and services […] All these append
“open” to a name without really even trying to append “openness,” let alone embrace
“openness," to their practices or mission. Whatever “openness” means. (Watters, 2014)
Ethos: Atenas and Havemann (2014) commented: “Notwithstanding the problematic
nature of the term ‘open’ when used in wider contexts, there does seem to be a shared
understanding of an underlying ethos of openness…”
Pragmatism: Not only are there different aspects of openness, but it may be that some are
mutually exclusive with others, or at least that prioritising some means less emphasis on
others. One way to consider openness is to consider the motivations people have for
adopting an open approach. (Weller, 2015:32)

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WHAT IS OPEN RESEARCH? (DISCUSSION 5 mins)
EXPLORING OPENNESS
“Open research is the process of conducting and
sharing research in which a selection of research
proposals, work-process documents, literature
reviews, methodologies, research instruments,
analytical frameworks, findings and/or data are
intentionally shared on publically-accessible
platforms in order for others to freely access, use,
modify, and share them subject to measures that
preserve ethical practice and legal provenance.”
Hodgkinson-Williams & King (2015:5)

9. Openness through the
Research Cycle
Understanding openness as a feature of the entire
research process

10. 10
THE RESEARCH CYCLE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OPENNESS (EXERCISE 30 mins)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)

11. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)

12. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)
• This is the fuzziest stage where nothing is concrete yet. There is a balance
to be struck at this stage in getting feedback from people and ‘giving away’
an idea when it becomes specific enough
• The main consideration could be ownership of ideas that have been
generated openly
• It’s important to share with the right people and be as open as appropriate
with them
• Blogging could be a way of doing this; social media provides another
opportunity
• Talk to (trusted) people!
• Sharing at the ‘ideas’ stage can be a way to assess the viability of a research
project
• You might want to share online, but not have a network to get feedback from
– how do you build a network?

13. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)
• Build networks
• Attend workshops/events and get feedback
• Meet with people who have similar interests
• Use feedback to develop the idea into a more
feasible project
• Context and trust are important

14. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)
• Completed grant proposals (successful
or unsuccessful) can be shared for
others to learn from. Some research
councils make successful proposals
available as a matter of course
• Some funding opportunities mandate
open practices, such as open access
dissemination
• Networks can be leveraged to identify
funding opportunities
• Collaborators can be attracted by
organisations with transparent working
practices

15. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)
• Involving stakeholders in the process of
planning can improve buy-in and
encourage a spirit of collaboration
• Collaborating in this way could
potentially affect the perception of the
objectivity of the researcher
• A balance needs to be struck here
between expert authority and
stakeholder input
• Think about how openness might affect
the rest of the project (e.g. ethics)

16. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)
• Progress can be shared through blogs,
social media, newsletters, etc.
• Sharing initial findings can improve the
visibility of work
• If you keep a research journal, this could
be shared where appropriate

17. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)
• Sharing code on GitHub
• Sharing analytic frameworks and
research instruments
• Inviting critical friends to verify results

18. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)
• Open access publication of journal
papers
• Understand licensing options
• Sharing (redacted) research data on
repositories
• Need to be especially careful with
personal or sensitive information –
anticipate how much needs to be shared
to make it useful while protecting
participants
• Using appropriate metadata to maximise
reusability
• Institutional archiving (e.g. ORO)
• Compliance with funder requirements
• Maximising impact through publishing in
alternative channels (e.g. mass media,
short video, alternative media)

19. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Research_cycle.png By Cameron Neylon (CC-BY)
• Find out what relevant data is already
out there ‘in the open’
• Tension between peer-reviewed
literature and grey literature

20. Benefits and Risks
An overview of the effects of being open

21. Thumbs up is by Paul and licensed CC BY 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/vegaseddie/5700609302/
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BENEFITS / RISKS (Discussion 5 mins each)
BENEFITS OF OPENNESS

22. By Alex E. Proimos (http://www.flickr.com/photos/proimos/4199675334/) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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BENEFITS RISKS
BENEFITS AND RISKS
• Increase visibility
• Dissemination
• Building an online academic identity
• Amplify the impact of research
• Making connections with the right
people
• Building a network that will be useful in
the future
• Engaging people: sharing; asking
questions; updating
• Encourage re-use (and verification) of
research data
• See
also http://whyopenresearch.org/index
• Ethics considerations,
especially with respect to
extra-institutional activity
• Time invested to engage in
additional sharing activities:
being open takes time
• It can be discouraging if
finding your voice and
building your network
doesn’t go well
• Understanding which open
licences to use can be
confusing and there’s a
chance you will get it wrong
unless you learn about this

24. Openness and Impact
Perspectives

25. http://oerhub.net

26. • Building capacity in the OER research domain
• Conducting research into open education and OER
• Producing resources for the open education research
community
• Acting as champions for open practices in research and
scholarship

27. Keyword Hypothesis
Performance OER improve student performance/satisfaction
Openness People use OER differently from other online materials
Access OER widen participation in education
Retention OER can help at-risk learners to finish their studies
Reflection OER use leads educators to reflect on their practice
Finance OER adoption brings financial benefits for students/institutions
Indicators Informal learners use a variety of indicators when selecting OER
Support Informal learners develop their own forms of study support
Transition OER support informal learners in moving to formal study
Policy OER use encourages institutions to change their policies
Assessment Informal assessments motivate learners using OER

28. Project Co-PILOT

30. OER Evidence Report 2014
OER Data Report 2015
http://oerhub.net/reports/
http://oerhub.net/research-outputs/data/

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PATHWAYS TO IMPACT
OPEN RESEARCH
RAISING PROFILE AND UNDERSTANDING OF OER/OPEN
• OER Research Hub Fellowships
• Bringing an open element to consortia (e.g. BizMOOC, European MOOC Consortium)
• Quality Assurance, Internal Training Provision at The Open University
GLOBAL EVIDENCE BASE FOR OER IMPACT
• Working internationally in open collaboration with a wide range of partners at various
levels of formality
• Sharing outputs openly has massively promoted the profile of our work
• “Think global; act local”
BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE RESEARCH COMMUNITY
• Global OER Graduate Network
• Mentoring and leadership (e.g. SPARC; OpenCon)
• Social Media
• Real-life interactions!

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PATHWAYS TO IMPACT
OPEN RESEARCH
PROMOTING OPEN PRACTICES AND VALUES
• Global OER Graduate Network
• Open dissemination (papers, data)
• Open Research!
• Ethical guidance for “open” (Farrow, 2016)
• Reuse of Evidence Hub code, research methods, etc.
CONSULTATION / INFLUENCE ON POLICY
• Evidence to House of Lords Select Committee on Digital Skills
• Creative Commons Policy Workshop
• ALT OER Guide for Policymakers
• Policy Registry on OER World Map
• Opening Educational Practices Scotland Workshops

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PATHWAYS TO IMPACT – ROER4D
OPEN RESEARCH
ROER4D

34. Tips & Resources
Some stuff you might find useful

35. Increase Your Visibility
Cartoon by John R. McKiernan and licensed CC BY. Available from Why Open Research? http://whyopenresearch.org/gallery

36. Build your network
Network by Jurgen Appelo
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/jurgenappelo/67972
52840/) is licensed CC BY 2.0
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

37. • Share and promote your
work using social
media/blogging etc.
• Ask for feedback on your
work and research
questions
• Ask questions
• What are you doing? Let
your communities know
• Keep your network(s) up-
to-date with your
progress…
Disseminate & Engage

38. Find your Voice

39. NowOpenbyBrianDysSahagunislicensedCCBY-NC-ND
https://www.flickr.com/photos/briansahagun/5788274239/

40. NowOpenbyBrianDysSahagunislicensedCCBY-NC-ND
https://www.flickr.com/photos/briansahagun/5788274239/
• Funders, governments and HEIs are increasingly supporting open
dissemination, and want to see evidence of innovative approaches to
engagement
• Open access leads to more engagement and higher citation rates
• Openness provides a route to innovation and creativity
• Openness is also an ethos of sharing, support and collaboration which can be
of benefit

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RESOURCES
Caswell, T., Henson, S., Jensen, M., & Wiley, D. (2008). Open Educational
Resources: Enabling universal education. The International Review of Research
in Open and Distributed Learning, 9(1).
http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/469/1001
Farrow, R. (2016). A Framework for the Ethics of Open Education. Open Praxis,
8(2), 93-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.5944/openpraxis.8.2.291
Farrow, R., Perryman, L.-A., de los Arcos, B., Weller, M. & Pitt, R. (2016). OER
Hub Researcher Pack. http://oro.open.ac.uk/48034/
Hill, B. V. (2010) [1975]. What’s open about open education? In D. A. Nyberg
(Ed.), The philosophy of open education. New York, NY: Routledge.
Gourley, Brenda and Lane, Andrew (2009). Re-invigorating openness at The
Open University: the role of Open Educational Resources. Open Learning, 24(1)
pp. 57–65.
King, T. W., Hodgkinson-Williams, C-A., Willmers, M. & Walji, S. (2016).
Dimensions of open research: critical reflections on openness in the ROER4D
project. Open Praxis, 8(2).
https://openpraxis.org/index.php/OpenPraxis/article/view/285

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RESOURCES
OER Hub (2015). Open Research MOOC
https://courses.p2pu.org/en/courses/3230/open-research-2015/
Pitt, R; de los Arcos, B; Farrow, R & Weller, M.(2016). Open Research (Open
Textbook). https://openresearch.pressbooks.com/
Rolfe, V. (2016). Striving Toward Openness: But What Do We Really Mean? The
International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(7).
http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/3207
VITAE (n.d.). What is open research? https://www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-
research/open-research-and-open-researchers/what-is-open-research
Weller, M. (2014). The Battle for Open. Ubiquity Press.
https://www.ubiquitypress.com/site/books/10.5334/bam/

43. Reflections
A chance to conclude by sharing thoughts

44. THANK YOU