OERu Session 3: Micro-credentials

Re: Are there any organisational benefits for adopting mOOCs

by Irwin DeVries -
Number of replies: 9

Hi Hayden,

Good point: it's not easy to be first institution in the chain to recognize credit from experiential learning. It's always easier and safer to let someone else do that and then figure out a scheme to translate from one system of assessment and recognition to another. Less risky I guess - we feel most comfortable operating in the "credit environment" as I've heard it termed. Yet as higher education institutions, shouldn't we be able to excel at assessing all kinds of learning? Here's hoping the A in PLAR isn't seen as a Scarlett Letter in HE...

In reply to Irwin DeVries

Re: Are there any organisational benefits for adopting mOOCs

by Haydn Blackey -

Hi Irwin,

Every year for the last 11 years I've run two or three sessions a year for academic colleagues who are being challenged to assess and credit experiential learning, first in my role as Deputy Director of our Business School and now as Head of our Learning and Teaching unit.

I'd hoped it would have become so much a part of the culture by now that we would be sharing practice with each other. But every time it seems to come new to staff. Maybe this reflects the high turnover of academic staff and the lack of this approach across other Higher Education Institutions, but I'm almost bored of hearing myself explaining it now, perhaps I should have created it as an OER from the start so others would still be learning without me having to repeat myself :-)

But OERu and the RPL project gives me a good focus institutionally to reaffirm the agenda.

Cheers,

Haydn

In reply to Haydn Blackey

Re: Are there any organisational benefits for adopting mOOCs

by Kathleen Zarubin -

@Haydn Blackey  PLEASE DO make it!  re - "perhaps I should have created it as an OER from the start so others would still be learning without me having to repeat myself :-)"  

And I am not sure about 'other places' but in Australia there are some auditors - ie the people who say - 'yes good job' or 'No you are out' (and versions along the scale :)) - who could may be also benfit from such a course ....

If i had a dollar (of any currency) for every time i heard 'an auditor'  say ...   "ummm   that 'rpl thing' " (while looking like they are suckiing lemons ...)   well   ... you know the rest :)

Having said that - I do KNOW some 'institutions' -  (said in a way that I LOOK like i am sucking lemons!) *think* it is a short cut to a quick, dirty, nasty buck ($ - in any currency).  And THAT helps no one ...

In reply to Kathleen Zarubin

Re: Are there any organisational benefits for adopting mOOCs

by Haydn Blackey -

Thanks Kathleen,

a good reality check. I particularly like your comment:

Having said that - I do KNOW some 'institutions' - (said in a way that I LOOK like i am sucking lemons!) *think* it is a short cut to a quick, dirty, nasty buck ($ - in any currency). And THAT helps no one ...

Aren't they in for a big surprise when it is the opposite of a cheap and easy way :-)

Cheers,

Haydn

In reply to Haydn Blackey

Re: Are there any organisational benefits for adopting mOOCs

by Irwin DeVries -

Hayden, I wonder if part of the problem is that syndrome of expecting others to do it "the way we did it." In other words, it may be more difficult for educators who achieved their credentials and careers by traditional methods now to adopt different methods for their eventual successors. In the longer term, we will (one hopes!) eventually have educators in place who gained at least part of their education and credentials through RPL/PLAR  - and then things may be different.

In reply to Irwin DeVries

Re: Are there any organisational benefits for adopting mOOCs

by Haydn Blackey -

A good point Irwin,

I wonder if we down play this element of staff re-enforcing their own. One of my PhD students who successfully completed her viva yesterday (so I guess she is a student no longer but a graduand) had been researching student assessment – many of you will guess that the most significant staff driver for the form of assessment was "that's how I was assessed when I did my degree"!

As someone who studied via the UK Open University I suspect I am a keen advocate of flexible models of learning as my career in academia would not have been possible without studying while doing a full time job in industry. Perhaps that's what makes me such an advocate for flexible, responsive education - because I don't see any other way as practical or sustainable.

Cheers,

Haydn

In reply to Haydn Blackey

Re: Are there any organisational benefits for adopting mOOCs

by Joyce McKnight -

Hi Haydn:  It sounds like you and I have a lot in common...did you know that there is a whole PLA-PLA/R network mostly here in the US through CAEL (which I think stands for the Council on Adult Experiential Learning)...it has a group on LinkedIn...Empire State College has also been editing a new peer reviewed journal on the topic...my colleagues Alan Mandel and Nan Travers are the editors.   At any rate, I think it might be good to link into those networks as well.   PLA is becoming much more important in the US than ever before...even President Obama knows about it and has mentioned it in his plans for higher education.   All the best.   Joyce McKnight

In reply to Joyce McKnight

Re: Are there any organisational benefits for adopting mOOCs

by Kathleen Zarubin -

Thanks for that heads up Joyce - I just applied to join that group.  I often use 'evidence' from LI within a person's portfolio for recognition :)

In reply to Joyce McKnight

Re: Are there any organisational benefits for adopting mOOCs

by Haydn Blackey -

That's really interesting Joyce,

RPL is also becoming a topic that our ministers are talking about. Unfortunately though I think they sometimes see it as the 'quick and dirty' route to post-secondary education, as Kathleen mentioned, when it is often not.

Cheers,

Haydn

In reply to Haydn Blackey

Re: Are there any organisational benefits for adopting mOOCs

by Kathleen Zarubin -

Haydn, This is often a challenge I think.

Sometimes, once people in power hear or think ‘it is cheaper’ the classic situation where money drives the decision making / policy direction can take over, with not enough reflection on all the implications and consideration of all the variables at play.

 

While I do understand (in a fairly limited way to be honest) the issues of cost effectiveness / efficiency and maximising the outcomes and value of finite resources etc … being open to various options to help mix and match the best and right processes for different reasons and situations still must be the foundation I think.

 

Sounds a bit like the OERu .. does it? (Must be one of the reasons I like it here so much, and the great company too of course)