Presentation with Alison Mackenzie at LILAC 2011. Discusses the results and trends from two academic staff surveys at Edge Hill University looking at academic staff awareness, use and expectations of open educational resources. Building upon the open content literacy framework by mapping it onto the SCONUL 7 Pillars model of Information Literacy - looking at IL through a ‘lens’ of open content creation. Asks What is the role of librarians in the developing OER/open content agenda? How confident do librarians feel about supporting academics in locating, reusing or remixing content? and How useful are literacy models in supporting understanding and decision-making of colleagues wishing to explore, create, reuse or repurpose open digital teaching and learning content

1. Alison Mackenzie and Lindsey Martin
Information Literacy in an Open content
world: developing guidance for academic
colleagues
LILAC conference 19th April 2011

2. Open Educational Resources: a definition
Open Educational Resources (OER)
are “digitised materials offered freely
and openly for educators, students
and self-learners to use and reuse
for teaching, learning and research.”
Centre for educational research and innovation, 2007

3. Why are we interested?
• Sparked as a result of our JISC funded ReForm project
testing assumptions of reuse/repurposing teaching
content
• Rapid growth of e-learning requires sustainable model
of content creation
• Perception that sharing content is complex is a barrier
to cultural change
• We found many colleagues lack skills to
identify, acquire and adapt existing digital content
• Also skills gaps in evaluating material and Intellectual
Property Rights of found and own content

4. Snapshot of OER
awareness &
practices
Snapshot of OER awareness & practices
• A sample of EHU teaching staff surveyed 2009
and 2011 using BOS
• Representation from all 3 faculties
• Participants largely ‘early adopters’ of
educational technologies
• Where possible 2011 questions mirrored
those asked in 2009 to enable trend analysis
• Opportunities for free comment

5. Testing awareness of Open Content

6. Jorum awareness

7. Experiences of sharing and reuse (1)

8. Where content is typically found

9. Seeking permission for reuse

10. Testing awareness (1)
2009 2011
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
2009 2011
Awareness of Creative Commons licenses

11. Testing awareness (2)
2009 2011
42.9
60
0
20
40
60
80
100
2009 2011
Have you ever used CC
licenced content?
14.3
26.7
0
20
40
60
80
100
2009 2011
Have you ever applied
a CC license to your
content/work?

12. Sharing one’s own content
0
10
20
30
40
For educational
purposes
Not for profit
Attitudes to sharing
own content beyond
EHU: 2011
0
10
20
30
40
Not for profit With
anybody
Attitudes to sharing
own content beyond
EHU: 2009

13. Open Content Literacy

14. Guidance and support
Where or to whom
would you look for
skills, support &
guidance in this area?

15. Snapshot of OER
awareness &
practices
Open Content Literacy Framework
• Open Content Literacy Framework developed to
support colleagues engagement with open
content, the acquisition of new skills and strategies
and to manage the ‘messiness’ and iterative nature
of digital content creation
• Review of SCONUL 7 Pillars model is providing an
opportunity to map framework onto IL model –
looking at IL through a ‘lens’ of open content
creation

16. 7 Pillars through an Open Content ‘lens’
Identify
Understands:
• Concept of ‘openness’ in
relation to educational
resources and practices
• That new open content is
constantly being produced
• The benefits which can be
gained from creating,
sharing and reusing
content
• Impact of local policy,
infrastructure and support
in creating a culture of
sharing and openness
• How to assess whether
using open content or
making your own content
open will meet your needs
Is able to:
• Recognise decision to
make one’s content open
may involve others as well
as self
• Recognise a need for new
skills in locating, creating,
reusing, sharing content
and identify the skills gap
• Assess how open content
could enhance the learner
experience
Scope
Understands:
• What material can and
should be shared
• The issues of
IPR/copyright status and
Creative Commons
licenses in relation to re-
use
• The characteristics of
different types of open
content and how these
may affect where they are
published or aggregated
• Who else must be
involved in locating and/or
developing content
• Where specialist services
and support can be found
Is able to:
• Identify material suitable
for intended audience
• Articulate reasons for
using and making content
open
• Articulate when content
should not be made open
• Identify platforms and
search tools for locating
good quality digital
content

17. Snapshot of OER
awareness &
practices
Some questions remain …
• What is the role of librarians in the developing
OER/open content agenda?
• How confident do librarians feel about supporting
academics in locating, reusing or remixing content?
• How useful are literacy models in supporting
understanding and decision-making of colleagues
wishing to explore, create, reuse or repurpose open
digital teaching and learning content?

18. Snapshot of OER
awareness &
practices
Contact:
• Alison Mackenzie Alison.Mackenzie@edgehill.ac.uk
• Lindsey Martin Lindsey.Martin@edgehill.ac.uk