[publication] Opening Up Teaching and Learning at Universities: OER, MOOCs and Microcredentials #moox #research #tugraz

Our research on OER, MOOCs, and Microcredentials was published in the book „Advanced Technologies and the University of the Future: Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems“.

Abstract:
This paper presents the situation concerning open and digital learning and teaching opportunities with respect to three developments: Open Educational Resources (OER), Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and the introduction of microcredentials. Firstly, the paper introduces these concepts. Then, before the background of the Austrian university landscape, the authors describe how these three measures are currently or will be implemented at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz). TU Graz is one of the first universities worldwide with an OER policy document and is as well host of the Austrian MOOC platform iMooX.at. Both provide the opportunity for new collaborations amongst universities and opportunities for learners. The introduction of microcredentials is just beginning at TU Graz and provides an opportunity for external learners and students to receive accredited confirmation of their qualifications from the university. The article not only discusses the opportunities and positive effects of these developments at TU Graz as part of the digitalization of teaching and lifelong learning activities, but also addresses the challenges in an increasingly globalized and competitive higher education landscape.

[article @ publisher’s homepage]
[draft @ ResearchGate]

Reference: Ebner, M., Kreuzer, E., Schön, S., Edelsbrunner, S. (2025). Opening Up Teaching and Learning at Universities: OER, MOOCs and Microcredentials. In: Vendrell Vidal, E., Cukierman, U.R., Auer, M.E. (eds) Advanced Technologies and the University of the Future. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 1140. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71530-3_18

[presentation] Der erste multilinguale MOOC zum Thema der Open Eduational Resources. Rolle, Möglichkeiten und Herausforderungen des Einsatzes von KI bei der Erstellung von Videos mit Avataren der Lehrenden #oead #tugraz #KI #research

Im Rahmen der der OeaD-Hochschultagung 2024 unter dem Thema „Internationalisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz“ haben wir heute einen Kurvortrag über unseren multilingualen OER-MOOC:

Im MOOC „Open Educational Resources in Higher Education“ wurde die KI-Anwendung HeyGen verwendet, um Avatare der Lehrenden zu erstellen, die dann die ursprüngliche deutsche Sprachversion automatisch in mehrere Sprachen der Unite!-Universitätsallianz übersetzten. Nur die Avatare wurden durch KI generiert; die Videos des MOOC wurden professionell illustriert, und die Struktur des Kurses, die Texte, Quizze und Beschreibungen wurden ohne (signifikante) Nutzung von KI erstellt. Dieser MOOC ist wahrscheinlich der erste weltweit, der gleichzeitig in mehreren Sprachversionen produziert wurde und über die bloße Untertitelung der Videos hinausgeht. Im Vortrag wird das Vorhaben und Abläufe des Projekts und der Verwendung von KI präsentiert und Herausforderungen und Möglichkeiten adressiert, die sich ergeben haben.

[Link zu den Vortragsfolien]

[presentation] iMooX.at und OERhub.at – zwei nationale Lehrplattformen als OER-Shared-Services #imoox #OER #tugraz

Jana und ich dürfen heute bei der ACO-TEC Veranstaltung in Wien über iMooX und OERhub eine kurze Präsentation halten. Hier gibt es dazu die Folien:

Zitation: Ebner, M., & Herwig, J. (2024, September 18). iMooX.at und OERhub.at – zwei nationale Lehrplattformen als OER-Shared-Services. Graz University of Technology. https://doi.org/10.3217/ch36n-r7x58

[open education] OER about OER #training #OER

We are excited to announce the publication of our new resource: OER about OER  – Materials, Tools, and Methods. This collection, was initiated by Sandra Schön and me and enriched by the Unite! OER Courses project is designed to support educators, trainers, and institutions in developing and delivering Open Educational Resources (OER) courses.

The document includes practical insights into planning and running OER trainings, introduces open licenses, and provides templates, exercises, and creative methods like the „OER business model cards“ to help spark
discussions on sustainable OER use. Whether you’re new to OER or looking to deepen your knowledge, this resource is a valuable tool for expanding your understanding and application of OER in educational settings.

You can access the full document at https://doi.org/10.3217/5bq59-j6c60

Cite it: Schön, Sandra & Ebner, Martin (2024). OER about OER. Materials, tools & methods. A collection of Open Educational Resources materials, tools and methods. Report of the Unite! OER Courses project, August 2024. URL: https://doi.org/10.3217/5bq59-j6c60

[publication] An Introduction to Open Educational Resources and Their Implementation in Higher Education Worldwide #OER #OpenEducation #tugraz #research

We are thrilled to announce that our article about „An Introduction to Open Educational Resources and Their Implementation in Higher Education Worldwide“ was published in the Weizenbaum Journal of the Digital Society.

Abstract:
The digitization of (higher) education has exposed copyright infringement issues, as the unauthorized use of copyrighted materials has become more visible. This article explores the importance of open educational resources (OER) in higher education, focusing on their development, how they are understood, and the opportunities they offer. OER are defined as learning materials released under open licenses, allowing no-cost access, reuse, adaptation, and redistribution. The article discusses the OER movement, its milestones, and its integration into educational practice. It also presents arguments for OER: they enable free access to education, improve teaching practice, diminish legal issues, and foster open science. In addition, it highlights criticisms, including resistance from traditional publishers and concerns about marketing influence. The article concludes by examining current OER implementation in higher education and its promise of innovation. While OER are increasingly adopted, proprietary resources still dominate. The article emphasizes the need for educators to use open licenses meaningfully and innovatively and presents research on OER acceptance and usage. The monitoring of OER development in higher education is essential, but approaches may vary across countries.

[full article @ journal’s homepage]
[full article @ ResearchGate]

Reference: Atenas, J., Ebner, M., Ehlers, U.-D., Nascimbeni, F., & Schön, S. (2024). An Introduction to Open Educational Resources and Their Implementation in Higher Education Worldwide. Weizenbaum Journal of the Digital Society4(4). https://doi.org/10.34669/wi.wjds/4.4.3

[imoox] Week 4: Open Science and Strategies #oer #OpenEducation #mooc

Our MOOC on „Open Educational Resources in Higher Education“ for the European alliance UNITE! is reaching the last week – number 4 :-). This time we are discussing the role of OER within Open Science and strategies for implementation in higher education:

YouTube

Mit dem Laden des Videos akzeptieren Sie die Datenschutzerklärung von YouTube.
Mehr erfahren

Video laden

And don’t to forget to change the language, all videos are offered in 11 different languages: [free registration link to the open course]

[mooc] Week 3: Open Educational Resources in Higher Education #tugraz #unite! #imoox #OER

Our MOOC on „Open Educational Resources in Higher Education“ for the European alliance UNITE! is reaching week three. This time we are discussing how to produce and publish OER and you can learn about the OER-Canvas. So I guess it will be interesting content and you can join us for free 🙂

YouTube

Mit dem Laden des Videos akzeptieren Sie die Datenschutzerklärung von YouTube.
Mehr erfahren

Video laden

And don’t to forget to change the language, all videos are offered in 11 different languages: [free registration link to the open course]

[mooc] Week 2: Open Educational Resources in Higher Education #tugraz #unite! #imoox #OER

Our MOOC on „Open Educational Resources in Higher Education“ for the European alliance UNITE! is reaching the second week. This time we are talking about how to find and use OER. There are some useful hints – so join us for free 🙂

And don’t to forget to change the language, all videos are offered in 11 different languages: [free registration link to the open course]