[CharlotteAbbott]

How easy was it to find a relevant resource?

I chose to access the Open University’s OpenLearn resource area not really knowing what I was looking for but my attention was soon drawn to a History of Art free course. The links from the introduction were interesting but I found I was going off at tangents and losing my way. To recover I found myself going back to the homepage and starting again. By taking this approach, I discovered new pages that I’d previously missed. This was valuable but time consuming. I then accessed the iTunes site and found what I was looking for via the search box. This was much quicker but less informative.

 

How could you incorporate this resource into your professional practice?

The visuals on the OU’s OpenLearn source were useful in attracting immediate attention but following the links led to text heavy pages, which in our institution would possibly distract initial enquirers.

 

Which source did you find more useful (and why) – the ‘official’ resource bank or the open search?

The OU was more useful because it offered a range of information when I was unsure of what I wanted to find and attracted me to return for a second visit.

 

Are there any limitations on the use of your preferred resource for your learners (e.g. copyright licence; login requirements)?

Not that I was aware of.

 

Would your own students agree that the resource you prefer is accessible?

No, I don’t think they would agreed as signposting wasn’t as clear as I would have expected, a view reflected in comments posted onto the feedback page. However, I did note that queries were responded to quite quickly.

[CharlotteAbbott]

Yes, I agree that the questionnaires highlight areas for development but surely the onus is on the institution to provide guidance or signpost learners to sites or resources to address their needs? For on-campus learners, initial induction would identify any skills gaps which would then be managed by support services i.e. library, personal tutor, accessibilty etc. If the questionnaire replicates this initial face-to-face meeting, the outcome must be equitable.

[CharlotteAbbott]

The reference to mature learners in Angela’s post is relevant for the majority of online learners in my own institution and therefore raises questions regarding the appropriacy of Siemens’ model. Our assumptions regarding mature learners include that they are happy to adopt the use of social media for learning. Depending on the discipline, the level of appropriacy of a MOOC type course varies. For example online learners in health or leisure related courses are more open to unstructured, self directed learning approaches than are law or business students, for whom Mitra’s more controlled approach might be more suitable.

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