Vasi Doncheva

Great questions Kathleen,
Exactly what we are looking for in this seminar. Our initial thoughts were if possible to develop a self selection framework - process where learners can select the AVI to approach based on the AVI profile (experience, expertise, skills etc.) and ranking in the community. The risk with that strategy is that some AVIs will get more requests than what they can cope with.

Another option is to have AVIs providing different type of support : digital literacy, orientation, supporting learners in they choices etc. ( some theames already coming through discussion about the role and type of support AVIs would provide).

I beleve this discussion will continue in a separate thead so we can get into more detail and specific solutions. But in the meantime I invite anyone with questions or ideas in this area to contribute them here.

Looking forward to how this will develop

Vasi

Nicholas unfortunately I have to agree with you that the model that we are building is not perfect and may not get anyware close to perfect in the next few years considering that we are relaying on the 'gifting culture' and volunteer help of educators and support of initial anchor partner insittution.

But I also have to agree with Wayne that this is a start and is better option than NO option for those learnes that have no access to formal - tradition education.

Have the great universities with significant funding and resources done any better for their fee paying students? Very few have. Unfortunatealy majority have not and continue to shamelessly charge and further increase the huge fees for education that is 19th century industrial age 'sausage factory' model. So in such terms I would see our bleak view still outshining them.

There are plenty of informal learning opprtutnites for leanres to choose from to gain the knowledge or skills they are after and we are not trying to replace them. The aim is to offer these learners whichever path they take OER or informal learning opportunities to be able to gain credible qualifications through the OERu.

We really apreciate all the support and contributions from the participants in this seminar.
So please do not hold back and let us know how do you see or suggest that we can improve the model.

cheers
Vasi

I see some great discussioin and very good points and ideas coming through already :-)

I agree with Ellen that a FAQs forum will be a great way to provide learners with the opportunity  and space to ask questions which they can't find in the FAQs database. As new questions are asked and answered they will be added to the FAQs database so it will keep growing overtime and initially we may not have the 80% of the Qs and As in it but I assume we will get there within a year. 

I also support Waynce's view that anyone can respond / answer the questions including other learners that are more experienced or have figured out the answer. Initally it could be that some AVIs are assigned responsibility to move the questions from the forum to the FAQs database but that concept can also evolve with time - unless we develop the database in a way that learners can add Qs that they can't find in it and post to the FAQs forum the link to that question so someone can answer it. Answers may need to be reviewed / moderated if submitted by a learner by an AVI before published officially.

Also a very good suggestion to classify or categorize the Qs. It will be easy to start that from the beginning of the building of the database by setting categories and tagging the questions as they are added so learners can find them easily with the database search function ( short tutorial - instructions on how to search the FAQs database may be useful as part of the learner orientation - very good suggestion by Joyce).

I like Joyce's idea about personal contact and some 'virtual office hours' with AVIs with different time zones it will not be difficult to provide a 24 hr roster :-).

Very excited to see how our initial scetchy ideas a developing further and taking shape with your help.

Thank you all for your time and contributions, keep them going!

Vasi

Thanks for getting us started Wayne,
We have a great group of participants keen to contribute and conversations in a number of areas have already started. From the initial contributions I can see that we are goining to have quite productive two weeks ahead of us.

Before we move on to more detailed and specific discussions ( it is natural that some participants feel more strongly about some elements of the framework and want to engage with them) about the AVI framework it will be great to get some overall feedback from the OER community on the proposed structure and initial draft concept of the framework.

Here are a few questions to get us started:
- What do you think about the propoused role of AVIs? - what kind of support will be needed and critical for OER learners to succeed in particular at the initial stages ( year 1 and 2 level of Univercity study)?
- What do you think of the suggested structure?
- What else we need to consider and include in the design that we have missed in the initial draft?

Looking forward to your contributions over the next couple of days.

Wayne and Vasi

That is a very valid point Irwin,
We need to consider how we can integrate - incorporate OER learner feedback / rating of services offered by AVIs into the framework.

Let's keep thinking and refining the concept

Vasi