Abstract
In a region of geographically scattered, small island states, developing quality-enhanced learning materials across the hugely diverse, predominantly ocean-based learning and teaching environments, continues to present new challenges. This paper explores the potentially transformative nature of Open Educational Resources (OER) in a regional university. Against the backdrop of the bold, new Strategic Plan 2013–2018, University of the South Pacific (USP) educators are faced with transforming learning systems, practices and pedagogy to achieve excellent standards in learning teaching and knowledge creation. Selected case studies are provided to support the discussions for the application and development of OER at USP and the integration of Open Learning Design (OLD) principles and practices. In the drive to enhance the quality of learning and teaching through integrating OER and OLD, research provides the most compelling results for informing practice to achieve effective and sustainable responses to the achievement of the Strategic Plan objectives.
Highlights
The University of the South Pacific (USP) is comprised of 12 member countries, all of which are small-island, developing economies located in 33,000,000 km2 of ocean
This paper explores the potentially transformative nature of Open Educational Resources (OER) in a regional university with approximately 24,000 enrolments and where the variances in the learning and teaching environments are considerably diverse
The OER case study yielded results that exceeded the parameters of the study
Summary
The University of the South Pacific (USP) is comprised of 12 member countries, all of which are small-island, developing economies located in 33,000,000 km of ocean. This paper explores the potentially transformative nature of Open Educational Resources (OER) in a regional university with approximately 24,000 enrolments and where the variances in the learning and teaching environments are considerably diverse. With high speed bandwidth at some campuses, the case studies presented illustrate the challenges at other campuses that require effective and sustainable interim solutions. This paper is guided by the definition of developing economies used by the World Bank, which includes all countries that have an annual gross national product per capita not more than US$9,075
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