Open LearningPub Date : 2021-09-02DOI: 10.1080/02680513.2021.1979951
P. Trimarco
{"title":"The pandemic and open access publishing","authors":"P. Trimarco","doi":"10.1080/02680513.2021.1979951","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2021.1979951","url":null,"abstract":"In this special issue, we are breaking from the tradition of having one or two book reviews. This has come about in part because books about open and online learning specific to the pandemic have not been published yet and in part because such books might not ever appear. The fundamental principles of open and online learning existed before the pandemic. The ways in which educators have adopted these principles, often moving from face-to-face instruction, rest in a pandemic-specific context for which the timetables of book publishing and the marketing of books are not well suited. As a Book Review Editor, one of my goals has been to promote open access publishing by regularly including such books among our reviews. Given how the Covid pandemic has temporarily closed physical libraries, coupled with reports in the popular press about the growth in research articles, this seemed the appropriate time to examine open access academic publishing. I had expected the pandemic to trigger an enlightenment towards more open access to research in the form of journals and books but found a more nuanced and complicated situation. Open access goes by different definitions and can include journals and ebooks which are open access for researchers and students because they are freely available at university online libraries. For researchers outside of university library systems, the pandemic brought about a temporary reprieve from having to subscribe to journals or pay for individual papers. During 2020, many traditional publishing houses temporarily opened their paywalls, giving ‘free access to research papers and data for scholars researching pandemic-related issues, and also for students seeking to pursue their studies online across a range of disciplines’ (Montgomery, 2021). Writing in the Times Higher Education in 2020, Jack Grove predicted that with scientific journals leading the way, ‘the unrestricted sharing of scientific papers during the coronavirus pandemic may have hastened the shift toward more open-access publishing, scientists believe, as several leading journals move to make content publicly available.’ This view was shared by many. Once the paywalls went back up, it was broadly assumed that open access journals and the open access articles found in hybrid journals, such as Open Learning, would benefit from an increased awareness of open access resources. This, coupled with the assumed surge in research articles being produced by scholars on break from face-to-face classrooms and campus life, signalled a new dawn for open-access research. However, the publishers I contacted painted a very different picture. Open Learning’s publisher Taylor and Francis had this to say on the issue of open access journals: ‘OA journals’ usage growth on Taylor & Francis Online has been strong and consistent since before the pandemic took effect and there is no obvious evidence that the pandemic has significantly accelerated or decelerated this ongoing growth.’ OPEN L","PeriodicalId":46089,"journal":{"name":"Open Learning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2021-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45317809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Open LearningPub Date : 2021-09-02DOI: 10.1080/02680513.2021.1973399
P. Vittorini, Alessandra Galassi
{"title":"From blended to online due to the COVID outbreak: the case study of a data science course","authors":"P. Vittorini, Alessandra Galassi","doi":"10.1080/02680513.2021.1973399","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2021.1973399","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Different approaches exist in delivering courses. The traditional face-to-face, the blended approach that combines the strengths of face-to-face with the application of technologies, and the online approach, which is the form of learning that takes place over the Internet. This article reports on the impact of the forced transformation of a data science course, previously provided through a blended approach, into a fully online course, due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The impact is reported in terms of the effort required by the teacher, the students’ feedback and the didactic outcomes. The students’ feedback and the didactic outcomes were compared with the students of the 2018/2019 academic year and between students directly involved or not in the management of the outbreak. The results show an increase in the perceived didactic quality, in the engagement and in the didactic outcomes (only the latter not statistically significant). Also, a specific tool used for the blended approach was very much appreciated by the students and we collected useful feedback for its improvement. The paper ends by summarising the main results, also discussed with colleagues, in order to consider our results alongside other experiences.","PeriodicalId":46089,"journal":{"name":"Open Learning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2021-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48569303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Open LearningPub Date : 2021-08-29DOI: 10.1080/02680513.2021.1973400
M. Aristeidou, Simon Cross
{"title":"Disrupted distance learning: the impact of Covid-19 on study habits of distance learning university students","authors":"M. Aristeidou, Simon Cross","doi":"10.1080/02680513.2021.1973400","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2021.1973400","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Despite a growing body of work on understanding how students perceived the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, the effects on existing distance learning universities have received less attention. This study aimed to understand changes in distance learning students’ study habits (learning, assessment and social activities) and assess the factors associated with negative impacts. An online survey collected information on demographics, study-related information, Covid-19 personal circumstances and changes in study habits from 555 undergraduate students at The Open University, UK. Of the study population, an average of 36% reported negative impacts on their study activities and 15% positive impacts. Logistic regression analysis (n = 269) demonstrated that negative impacts on study habits overall were associated with difficulties in managing workload and limited interaction with other students. Other factors, such as socioeconomic background, study level, limited interaction with tutors, age, personal health, employment issues, and childcare and caring responsibilities, relate to particular study habits. Our findings have implications for how universities with new and existing distance learning practices address these factors and better support ongoing learning activity during Covid-19 and other similar disruptions.","PeriodicalId":46089,"journal":{"name":"Open Learning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2021-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47604793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Open LearningPub Date : 2021-08-27DOI: 10.1080/02680513.2021.1971963
Josep Figueroa-Cañas, T. Sancho-Vinuesa
{"title":"Changing the recent past to reduce ongoing dropout: an early learning analytics intervention for an online statistics course","authors":"Josep Figueroa-Cañas, T. Sancho-Vinuesa","doi":"10.1080/02680513.2021.1971963","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2021.1971963","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46089,"journal":{"name":"Open Learning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2021-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41706356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Open LearningPub Date : 2021-08-24DOI: 10.1080/02680513.2021.1967115
V. Shevchenko, N. Malysh, O. Tkachuk-Miroshnychenko
{"title":"Distance learning in Ukraine in COVID-19 emergency","authors":"V. Shevchenko, N. Malysh, O. Tkachuk-Miroshnychenko","doi":"10.1080/02680513.2021.1967115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2021.1967115","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46089,"journal":{"name":"Open Learning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2021-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48168811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Open LearningPub Date : 2021-08-22DOI: 10.1080/02680513.2021.1970520
Eric Werth, K. Williams
{"title":"Learning to be open: instructor growth through open pedagogy","authors":"Eric Werth, K. Williams","doi":"10.1080/02680513.2021.1970520","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2021.1970520","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT OER-enabled pedagogy, one form of open pedagogy, is gaining popularity as a method for increasing student engagement and motivation. Realising the potential of this approach, however, depends on faculty implementation and reducing resistance to change. This study explores the experience of instructors during their first and second courses when facilitating OER-enabled pedagogy. Specifically, the research sought to determine how their view of the approach and teaching practices changed between classes, and if this prescribed experience increased their likelihood of using OER-enabled pedagogy in other classes. Interviews with faculty suggest that when teaching OER-enabled pedagogy for the first time, there is a lack of understanding of the value of this approach impacting their perceived mentorship of students. By the second iteration, however, instructors recognise an evolution in their view of teaching generally as well as OER-enabled pedagogy more specifically. This growth increases the quality of interaction with students and fosters broader use of open practices.","PeriodicalId":46089,"journal":{"name":"Open Learning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2021-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48055880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Open LearningPub Date : 2021-08-15DOI: 10.1080/02680513.2021.1967116
Yuanyuan Xu, L. Buckingham
{"title":"Adaptation to emergency remote teaching: an ESOL course for older Chinese learners","authors":"Yuanyuan Xu, L. Buckingham","doi":"10.1080/02680513.2021.1967116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2021.1967116","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines the adaptation of an ESOL course for older Chinese migrant learners to Emergency Response Teaching mode as a result of the government-imposed restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19. Through interviews and the analysis of learner diaries, we consider the experience of the school manager and teachers, and the strategies used by the learners, in relation to online delivery, with a particular focus on the measures taken to cater for a group of third-age learners with minimal previous language learning experience. Our analysis highlights the importance of collaborative decision making, team teaching, and a didactic approach that is sensitive to learners’ cultural backgrounds and that provides adequate L1 (i.e. first language) support. From a curriculum perspective, we discuss the importance of including content that is responsive to the evolving emergency context, and which strengthens learners’ ability (and inclination) to use the language-rich context of the public sphere for learning purposes. We also discuss the relative challenge of shifting grammar and vocabulary focused lessons to online delivery. Learners appeared to employ more frequently memory, cognitive and metacognitive strategies and we discuss this in relation to their current emergency learning context and previous educational background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Open Learning is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)","PeriodicalId":46089,"journal":{"name":"Open Learning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2021-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44175842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Open LearningPub Date : 2021-07-08DOI: 10.1080/02680513.2021.1950526
A. Mikroyannidis, Anastasia Papastilianou
{"title":"Open educational resources in public administration: a case study in Greece","authors":"A. Mikroyannidis, Anastasia Papastilianou","doi":"10.1080/02680513.2021.1950526","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2021.1950526","url":null,"abstract":"The use of Open Educational Resources (OER) for training in public administration has yet to see a wide adoption globally, mostly due to challenges related to the discovery and reuse of high-quality OER for training purposes. These challenges, combined with the general lack of openness in the public sector, have greatly impacted the penetration of OER in public administration. This paper presents a case study on the use of OER for expanding and enhancing curricular and resource sharing in public administration in Greece. Within this case study, an OER authoring and sharing platform was introduced to the Greek public sector, employing crowdsourcing methods for supporting trainers and trainees in authoring, sharing, reusing and remixing OER. The paper presents the deployment of this platform and the use of OER in the context of training programmes in the Greek public sector and reports on the lessons learned and the impact on public administration. The results of the case study showed that the use of OER was very positively received by civil servants, with a remarkable response, through active participation and engagement that led to the enhancement of existing OER and the co-creation of new ones for public administration.","PeriodicalId":46089,"journal":{"name":"Open Learning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2021-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/02680513.2021.1950526","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43520784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Open LearningPub Date : 2021-07-07DOI: 10.1080/02680513.2021.1936476
CJ MacDonald, I. Backhaus, E. Vanezi, A. Yeratziotis, D. Clendinneng, L. Seriola, S. Häkkinen, M. Cassar, C. Mettouris, George A. Papadopoulos
{"title":"European Union Digital Education quality standard framework and companion evaluation toolkit","authors":"CJ MacDonald, I. Backhaus, E. Vanezi, A. Yeratziotis, D. Clendinneng, L. Seriola, S. Häkkinen, M. Cassar, C. Mettouris, George A. Papadopoulos","doi":"10.1080/02680513.2021.1936476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2021.1936476","url":null,"abstract":"The Covid-19 pandemic positioned digital education in a new light. The need for educational institutions to develop strategies, standards and establish quality assurance across digital education be...","PeriodicalId":46089,"journal":{"name":"Open Learning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2021-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/02680513.2021.1936476","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45668305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Open LearningPub Date : 2021-07-06DOI: 10.25159/UNISARXIV/000009.V1
Piera Biccard
{"title":"A Distributed Perspective on the Community-of-Inquiry Framework for Distance Education","authors":"Piera Biccard","doi":"10.25159/UNISARXIV/000009.V1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25159/UNISARXIV/000009.V1","url":null,"abstract":"This conceptual paper sets out the community-of-inquiry framework from a distributed perspective. It proposes that considering teaching presence, social presence and cognitive presence from a distributed perspective allows the broadening of the presences to consider the way in which participants, content and tools maintain and advance these presences. Distance education is problematic since the separation of instructor and student necessitates a change of pedagogy. The paper argues that by distributing the typical silos of “teaching” and “learning”, more flexible opportunities are enabled. The distribution of the three presences across participants, content and tools is proposed as one way of mitigating distances in distance education. It is recommended that the proposed model be subject to empirical research to ascertain the usefulness of the model in practice.","PeriodicalId":46089,"journal":{"name":"Open Learning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2021-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69125701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}