To explore the UNESCO OER Recommendation, we adopt (and adapt as needed) Rolfe et al (2001) approach to this lesson. They suggest a framework for self-reflection, and we invite you to use them to explore an action-oriented approach while exploring the UNESCO OER Recommendation to investigate how you can contribute to its implementation. We start with three key questions and adapt them to the purpose of this lesson.

  • What? – think about your context at the local and national level, and think about how and how far Open Education is part of the discourse in your teaching and learning experience. Now read the Recommendation (or the summary provided below).
  • So what? – reflect on what you have experienced so far about Open Education and its community, yourself, the relationships, models, attitudes, cultures, actions, thoughts, understanding and any potential improvements you feel the urgency to discuss and advance.
  • Now what? – identify what you and your institution, organisation, and/or work team can/need to do in the future to improve open education future outcomes and impact. Then, reflect on what you foresee/can influence/can enact at the governmental level to facilitate actions to implement the Recommendation.

At this stage, start preparing a forum post based on the first two questions (What? So what?). Then, after the next lesson, complete it and post it answering the third question (Now what?).

Summary of the Action Areas in the UNESCO OER Recommendation

The UNESCO OER Recommendation, signed by all member states in 2019, was presented for the first time in Politecnico di Milano during the OE Global 2019 Conference. It encompasses 5 action areas:

  1. Capacity building: developing the capacity of all key education stakeholders to create, access, re-use, re-purpose, adapt, and redistribute OER, as well as to use and apply open licenses in a manner consistent with national copyright legislation and international obligations;
  2. Developing supportive policy: encouraging governments, and education authorities and institutions to adopt regulatory frameworks to support open licensing of publicly funded educational and research materials, develop strategies to enable the use and adaptation of OER in support of high quality, inclusive education and lifelong learning for all, supported by relevant research in the area;
  3. Effective, inclusive and equitable access to quality OER: supporting the adoption of strategies and programmes including through relevant technology solutions that ensure OER in any medium are shared in open formats and standards to maximize equitable access, co-creation, curation, and searchability, including for those from vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities;
  4. Nurturing the creation of sustainability models for OER: supporting and encouraging the creation of sustainability models for OER at national, regional and institutional levels, and the planning and pilot testing of new sustainable forms of education and learning;
  5. Fostering and facilitating international cooperation: supporting international cooperation between stakeholders to minimize unnecessary duplication in OER development investments and to develop a global pool of culturally diverse, locally relevant, gender-sensitive, accessible, educational materials in multiple languages and formats.

Please take a moment to explore the UNESCO OER Recommendation in its entirety: you’ll discover how clear and effective the official document is, and recognise the direct language and the practical approach typical of the Open Education Community.

Interested in knowing more about the Reflective Model? Here is a reference for you: Rolfe, Gary; Freshwater, Dawn & Jasper, Melanie (2001). Critical Reflection for Nursing and the Helping Professions: A User's Guide. Palgrave MacMillan.