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Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
In this module, you will learn how to strategically introduce OER to clients, colleagues, supervisors, administrators, decision-makers, and learners.
Introduction
Introduction
This module is flexible, so you can learn in a way that meets your learning preferences. If you don’t know how to start, begin by watching the video. If necessary, you can download the PowerPoint document and read both the slides and the notes of each slide.
At the end of the video, there is an optional activity that allows you an opportunity to use the things you learn.
At the end of the module, there is an additional activity that encourages you to share your experiences when tackling the task of introducing, marketing, convincing someone or an organization to incorporate OER into their learning materials. Unsure if this is a Padlet or a discussion board, or a google doc with comments.
Marketing Guidelines
Marketing Guidelines
Before you begin marketing your Open Educational Resources (OER), it is important to understand your target audience. Identify what they need, their preferences, and the best way to reach them. Different people have different needs, so it is necessary to analyze the audience.
The benefits of using OER need to be demonstrated to the target group so that they understand that OER can meet their target needs. This can include many aspects such as money, quality, flexibility etc.
Demonstrate a website or online platform that provides easy access to OER resources. The platform should be easy to use with a clear interface and good typography.
Feedback is an important part of using Open Educational Resources (OER) effectively. User feedback helps improve the quality and relevance of these resources over time. Therefore, collecting user feedback can continuously improve OER.
Take a quick course in Open Educational Resources (OER) Marketing Guides to get you started with Introducing OER to Others.
How to Introduce OER to Others
How to Introduce OER to Others
Watch the following video to learn more about how you can introduce others to OER.
You can also access the slide deck used in the video for review.
How to Prepare to Propose OER to Administration
How to Prepare to Propose OER to Administration
Watch the following video to learn more about how you can prepare for proposing OER to your administration or decision makers.
You can also access the
OER Discussion with Administration Video Presentation.webm12 Proven Strategies for Marketing OERs
12 Proven Strategies for Marketing OERs
- Create an OER strategic plan for marketing OER.
Introducing OER to your colleagues is going to look different from introducing OER to the primary decision makers in your organization; however, you want to think about the following for both:
Determine why you decided to introduce OER to your colleagues and primary decision makers.
Ensure that you fully understand OER so you have a solid knowledge foundation that will allow you to fully defend OER when needed.
Determine who will benefit the most from incorporating OER. Who are your customers? Who are the decision makers?
Distinguish between the unique features of OER and what your organization is using now for knowledge resources.
Determine the best way to incorporate OER into your organization’s knowledge resource processes.
Calculate the costs involved in incorporating OER in your organization. How much time will it take to comply with the 5 Rs?
Develop an advertising campaign. How are you going to get the word out?
Describe how your organization is likely to change, or not change, without using OER and after introducing OER.
Identify resources you already have and what you will need.
- Get buy-in from the decision makers or top-level administration.
There are some basic steps you can take to be more successful in convincing decision-makers that OER will benefit the organization and their customers.
Develop your objectives. – This sounds all too familiar to those of us in the learning profession, but this is where you can discuss research related to student ability to afford textbooks and instructor access to resourceful learning materials. Try to limit the number of objectives and try not to be too ambitious. Consider introducing OER not as a replacement, but in addition to existing resources – for now.
Determine your audience. – this could include colleagues, instructors, students, and decision-makers such as department heads and board of directors.
Identify any obstacles that already and could exist when the organization adopts OER. – This is your competition, which could be anything from contract with a publishing company to decision-makers stuck in the pre-Web 2.0 world.
Thoroughly and honestly describe OER. – This is when having a solid knowledge foundation of OER will help you field questions and concerns.
Formulate a roll-out schedule. – Describe what this will look like to colleagues and how it will look (differently) to decision-makers.
Decide who you will approach first. – Think about the advantages of having the support of colleagues prior to introducing OER to decision-makers, and vice versa. This circles back to knowing your customers.
Develop a potential budget. – Although OER is free and open, it does come with some costs such as training staff and staff time to comply with the 5 Rs. Separate out start-up costs from ongoing, routine costs.
- Get buy-in from faculty and students.
Think about how you are going to present OER information to students and follow-up with a survey that targets them as customers. How do you think OER will affect you as a student? The same applies to faculty or colleagues. How will OER improve their professional lives? In some organizations you will be more successful approaching individuals who will actually be using OER.
- Create a survey of faculty projects.
Consider surveying your colleagues to gain a better understanding of how they would use OER. Some may have never heard of OER, so survey development might be challenging.
- Document savings to students and publish the result.
This circles back to #3 and getting buy-in from students. Let students know how much they will save by using OER, and how it could deter dropping out or delaying completion of their education. This can make OER more attractive to them.
- Work with public relations department.
Your organization’s public relations department (or individual professional) is responsible for establishing your organization's image. Reach out to them to inquire how shifting the organization to using OER will affect the organization’s image. They may be able to help you with your OER campaign.
- Get the board of trustees involved.
Your organization may or may not have a board and often you will not have much interaction with them, or it may not be the proper protocol to communicate with them directly. Boards can influence decision makers and provide short-term funding for the roll-out. Get creative when thinking about contacting a member of the board appropriately.
- Fund Faculty Projects.
Encourage people by providing financial support to their developing OER projects.
- Engage librarians and instructional designers.
Librarians and instructional designers can provide additional resources, knowledge, and technical support. They are in a unique position of explaining who, what, when where, why, and how OER works. If you are conducting a presentation, think about including them on your panel.
10. Partner with the center for teaching/faculty development.
10. Partner with the center for teaching/faculty development.
When introducing OER to colleagues within and outside of your organization, consider collaborating with a teaching/faculty development center and offer a program in facilitating learning using OER.
11. Create an online presence with a website or a library guide.
11. Create an online presence with a website or a library guide.
Create your own website or library guide and share it with your colleagues. It can be as simple as one or two pages with the same information you would include in a presentation or convincing argument for OER. Use OER in your professional work, point this out to colleagues, and refer them to your website or a library guide for more information.
12. Present at diverse meetings.
12. Present at diverse meetings.
Volunteer to present at brainstorming workshops, as part of a training series, committee meetings, faculty professional development events, student groups, and to anyone else who will listen.
Introduce OER by the ARCS Model
Introduce OER by the ARCS Model
ARCS is a Model of Motivation that should be followed during the design process to help encourage learner participation and sustain motivation through the lesson. Taking ARCS into consideration when selecting, creating, or evaluating OER will increase the quality of the content.
A - Attention
A - Attention
An effective lesson must gain the learner’s attention. A way to do this is ensuring that the OER selected is diverse in its resources to sustain learner engagement.
Best Practice: Use clear, succinct, and interesting content to draw people’s attention.
R - Relevance
R - Relevance
The OER must be seen as relevant for the learner. Even if curiosity is aroused, motivation is lost if the content has no perceived value to the learner. Relevance results from connecting the content of instruction to important goals of the learners, their past interests, and their learning styles.
Best Practice: Tell people how OER can influence their professional development, learning, and teaching. Provide examples that are relevant to their previous experience.
C - Confidence
C - Confidence
Learner’s thrive with confidence in their learning process. By selecting an OER with clear objectives and examples of acceptable achievements, it is easier to build self-efficacy.
Best Practice: Use plain languages to tell people that OER provides ease of access.
S - Satisfaction
S - Satisfaction
Learner satisfaction with an OER is necessary for sustained motivation. OER helps in providing equity with access to resources and content. Even with that, learner’s must feel that the amount of work required by the course was appropriate, that there was internal consistency between objectives, content, and tests.
Best Practice: Give people high quality OER that allows for application of skills in a real world setting.
References
References
Driscoll, M. P., & Burner, K. J. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction, p330.
Evans, E and Balen, F. (2018) Eight Steps to Developing a Simple Marketing Plan. Retrieved 26 February 2023 from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FE967
Hodgkinson-Williams, C. (2010). Benefits and challenges of OER for higher education institutions.
Keller, J. (2010). Motivational Design for Learning and Performance.: The ARCS Model Approach. Boston, MA: Springer US.
Rege, K. (2017). 12 Proven Strategies for Marketing OERs. Retrieved 1 March 2020, from https://www.cccoer.org/2017/02/13/12-proven-strategies-for-marketing-oers/
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