Innovative learning experiences in a technical university using Open Educational Resources

Abstract

The growing Open Educational Resources (OER) is further increasing the wealth of up-to-date, relevant and well-presented course material available. However, just as important as having first class content, is that the learning activities designed for students using this content are likely to help students learn optimally. To help academics who are contemplating using Open Courseware material, guidelines are needed to help them reflect on how best to get their students to learn. The goal is to move away from a focus on teaching, that is, what the lecturer told the students, to a focus on activities that would help students learn. The task of university teachers is to create the conditions where students are most likely to learn. This paper presents the results of an educational innovation project that seeks to promote the design of learning experiences of students in Higher Education programs in a School of Engineering reusing such kind of resources. Each one of the learning experiences presented here are described in terms of the resources used, the repository where they were obtained and information and the type of repository, the teaching method used, evaluation forms, which competences and learning outcomes are expected to reach, among others. The students satisfactions of these experiences have been assessed. The lessons learned from each of these experiences are part of a set of guidelines published in a web site of the university. These practices can be imitated following the guidelines elaborated, and, to develop a community of teachers. © 2012 American Society for Engineering Education.