developing a sustainable

business model for open learning

Dr Hongliang Ma (Shaanxi Normal University, China)

Dr Li Yuan (University of Bolton)Stephen Powell (University of Bolton)

presentation licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

background

• partners

• motivations

• action research approach (small scale, unfunded project)

• develop an English language, postgraduate module for Chinese-speaking students as a part of a Masters in Educational Technology

• create as an OER & develop a sustainable business model for its use

aims

our action

how did it turn out1.students appreciated a new approach

with different inputs

2.valued multimedia over text based resources

3. length of text needs very careful consideration due to time taken to translate

4.valued asynchronous forum for communication as they could take time to re-read

5.synchronous session were very challenging for students to follow and considered less important than asynchronous

6.practical activities preferred

7.valued formative assessment and ‘patchwork media’ approach

sustainable approach?

• learning design: process rather than content

• localisation: cultural & language

• content: use and re-use

• learning support: local f2f, expertise online

• assessment & accreditation: local institution

• consortium: Chinese universities working through lead institution

• value proposition, business model & organisation

value proposition

business model

organisational model

Universityof

Bolton

ShaanxiNormal

University

A anotheruniversity

A anotheruniversity

A anotheruniversity

Individual learner

Individual learner

Individual learner

disruptive innovation

Clayton Christenson

discussion

diffusion or disruption?