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PACIFIC REGION OPEN EDUCATIONAL

RESOURCES

WORKING GROUP

PHOTOGRAPH BY COMMONWEALTH OF LEARNING, 2017.

Pacific Region OER Strategic

Paper

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Pacific Center for Flexible and Open Learning for Development, USP, 2017.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

License.

Pacific Center for Flexible and Open Learning for Development, 2017

Any part of this document may be reproduced without permission, but with attribution to USP Pacific Center for Flexible and Open Learning for Development (PACFOLD). CC-BY-SA (share alike with attribution). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

If you have any queries about this report, please contact: Matai Tagicaki Project Officer PACFOLD University of the South Pacific Statham Campus Laucala, Suva FIJI. tagicaki_m@usp.ac.fj

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CONTENT ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS Page 4 Background Page 5 Purpose Page 5 Strategic Statement Page 6

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ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS

1. OER Open Educational Resources

2. ROER Regional Open Educational Resources

3. OEP Open Education Practice

4. UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organisation

5. COL Commonwealth of Learning

6. FEdMM Forum Education Ministers Meeting

7. Open Pedagogy Teaching and learning practices motivated by the practice

of OER

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Background

The Pacific Region OER Strategic Paper is in response to the Pacific Regional Consultation on Open Educational Resources (RCOER) held in Auckland New Zealand, June 29th and 30th, 2017. The RCOER participants consisted of members representing stakeholders within the region and partners from COL, UNESCO and the Slovenian Government. The Regional OER Consultations was facilitated by the Commonwealth of Learning for six regions. This was done in the lead up to the 2nd World Open Educational Resources (OER) Congress, held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from 18th to 20th September 2017. The Regional Consultations were organised in partnership with UNESCO and the Government of Slovenia, with the support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The consultation theme, “OER for inclusive and Equitable Quality Education: From Commitment to Action”, reflects OER focus in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4).

In attendance were the Slovenian government, UNESCO, UNESCO Chair for OER and Open

Learning, Minister for Education Kiribati, PS Education Kiribati, President of COL, CEO and VP

of COL, Chair of the COL Board of Governors, COL Focal Point from Samoa, COL Focal Point

from Tonga, Representative of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, Chief Executive Open

Polytechnic New Zealand, Tasmania University representative, Swinburne University

Representative, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade New Zealand, UNESCO/ICDE Chair in

OER, OER Foundation , Commonwealth of Learning Chair in OER, Otago Polytechnic, PNG

University formed the consultation forum. It was suggested and agreed that the consultation

group also form the Pacific Region OER Working Group.

The Pacific Center for Flexible and Open Learning for Development (PACFOLD) was tasked by

the Pacific Region OER Group to initiate a Pacific OER strategy paper which may be tabled at

the next FEdMM through the office of the Minister for Education Kiribati.

Purpose This Paper aims to encourage engagement, participation, advocacy, awareness and capacity building for Open Educational Resources within the Pacific region OER is defined to be Educational Resources in any and all format that is licensed openly, as in Creative Commons Licenses, that encourages a learning culture which is collaborative, inclusive, equitable, accessible, affordable and free. The 21st century culture of Open Pedagogy through Open Learning is substantiated by David Wiley’s 5R (https://opencontent.org/blog/archives/2975, 2017) that characteristically describes OER as:

1. Free to access 2. Free to use 3. Free to revise 4. Free to remix 5. Free to redistribute

Open Educational Resources suggests more than just access to free and affordable quality learning resources. OER may be used to gain maximum quality learning outcomes, research for contextualization, invigorates constructive thinking and as a human right to access education, OER is a platform for inclusivity and equitability.

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This document also intends to align with the Pacific ODFL Framework through Priority Area 5; Educational Resources, recognizing that most PICTs lack access to quality, affordable and up to date Educational Resources. In support of Pacific Island Leaders responses through FAIDP which further underpins ICT’s role within the Pacific region in its focus on education, emphasizing efficient, effective and equitable access to quality education; Contributing to Pacific Island Leaders vision in implementing goals of the Framework for Pacific Regionalism, intended to develop law abiding citizens who are empowered economically and socially, stand for good governance, social justice and advocate sustainable development through regionalism.

Strategic Statement

Vision: Open Educational Resources as enabling Instruments that supports inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all in the Pacific Region.

Strategic Goals:

1. Government and national education stakeholders adopt and mainstream OER through institutional policies and participate in best practices.

2. Equitable access to free and affordable, inclusive and quality educational resources.

SUGGESTED STRATEGIC PATHWAY for PACIFIC OER

Priority: Building Capacity in the Pacific for Open Educational Resources - Adopt Open Educational Resources as a Pacific Region mainstream instrument for equitable and inclusive education for lifelong learning and a sustainable future.

CHALLENGES STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES SUCCESS INDICATORS

Continuous advocacy and awareness of OER - Government and other education providers may need to take up a more engaging, responsive and active role. Lack of capacity building with national governments - Governments have an obligation to its citizens to ensure that education is made accessible, free, and affordable for all. OER is an enabling tool. Relevant policy and adequate financial resources for digital

1. Foster awareness and use of OER

OER a component in teacher training.

OER a component of Curriculum Development, MoE.

OER used as curriculum resources

2. Facilitate enabling environments for use of ICT

Internet more accessible and affordable.

Developed national ICT infrastructure

National sustainable ICT development strategic plan

Use of offline digital devices to access OER

3. Develop strategies and policies on OER

Deliver National OER Policy.

OER reflected in National Education Strategic Development Plan.

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infrastructure - Governments needs to play an engaging and active role in ensuring its citizens access OER as an enabler for quality education. Access to connectivity and power, insufficient ICT infrastructure - Governments and ICT Providers must work in collaboration for the best interest of its citizens. Possible gaps in National strategic planning and prioritization - National strategic planning documents could address the need for accessing free, affordable and quality learning resources through OER. Align to Regional Framework and policies. Lack of demand from development partners - Government could align National strategic plans to global approach to attract donors and other external support.

4. Understand the use of open licensing frameworks

Active advocacy and public awareness on Open Licensing.

Active National awareness programs within all government departments.

5. Build HR capacity in the sustainable development of quality learning materials

National OER Quality assurance/peer review and assessment/accreditation framework

6. Foster strategic alliances for OER

Established network of best practitioners in OER.

Established research network.

Global participant in OER developments.

7. Development OER in a variety of Pacific languages and cultural contexts

Publish OER in cultural language and context.

Adapt relevant OER to cultural context.

8. Encourage research on OER

Adopted best practices in OER.

Established network of OER contributors.

9. Facilitate funding, retrieving and sharing of OER

Established funding model

Use of Open standards and user-friendly tools.

10. All publicly funded government educational resources Openly Licensed under Creative Commons.

National Open Licensing Policy

Educational resources published under Creative Commons Licensing

All publically funded educational resources are adapted as OER.

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11. Establish a Pacific Region Federation of OER Repository

Develop national OER repository

Establish interface with Pacific Federation of OER Repository

Access all Pacific Island nations OER repository through Pacific Federation of OER Repository.

Pacific region OER repositories collectively merge online through an information retrieval technology that allows the simultaneous search of multiple searchable resources.