OERu/Planning/Credit transfer and course articulation advisory service working group/Inaugural meeting

When: PDT (Click on link for your local time.) Where: [ Google hangouts] (link sent via personal email)

Agenda

 * 1) Welcome and aims of the meeting
 * 2) Review and determination of the aims and objectives of the working group
 * 3) Discussion of resource documents to guide activities
 * 4) * Draft report of the MITx subcommittee of the Faculty Committee regarding transfer credit for edX courses. - Christine
 * 5) * Report on the Assessment and Accreditation of Learners using OER - Wayne
 * 6) * Transnational Qualifications Framework - Wayne
 * 7) * OpenUpEd Quality label concept of the pan-European MOOC initiatve - Wayne
 * 8) * Others?
 * 9) Proposed tasks for the working group
 * 10) * Commence draft of OERu guidelines for credit transfer and course articulation for consultation
 * 11) * Audit of current OERu course providers with regard to transfer credit potential or alternative (RPL)
 * 12) * Develop questions to ask proposers of new courses with regard to transfer credit potential
 * 13) * Other?
 * 14) Date of next meeting
 * 15) Additional members of the working group
 * 16) General

Proposed aims of the working group

 * To develop an implementation guidelines document to inform credit transfer and course articulation decisions for the OERu network drawing on the remix scenarios published in the Report on the Assessment and Accreditation of Learners using OER.
 * To implement an OERu Transnational Qualifications Framework modelled on the Transnational Qualifications Framework developed by the Commonwealth of Learning for mapping OERu courses according to level and type of qualification.
 * To establish foundations in the design of the OERu credit transfer and course articulation guidelines for with future scalability in mind to enable the network to implement systems like the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT).
 * To specify the minimum requirements related to credit transfer and course articulation for inclusion into the quality standards for an "OERu designated" course (for example, acceptable OERu standards for validating student identity for assessment design and practice).

Proposed objectives of the working group

 * Develop a glossary of terms to support clear OERu communication across national boundaries.
 * Consultative development of OERu guidelines for credit transfer and course articulation.

Post meeting special resolution
The OERuMC 14.04 meeting recommended that an appropriate objective relating to digital badging should be included under the Credit Transfer and Course Articulation group. Due to an oversight this was not discussed during the meeting. An email to all members of the group was posted on 10 May 2014 to approve the inclusion of the following objective.

Proposed objective

 * To consider recommendations for the implementation of digital badging in the OERu model.

Minutes and decisions

 * 1) Attendance: Christine Wihak (Convener), Ron McGivern (Co-convener), Marc Singer, Mika Hoffman, Carina Bossu, Wayne Mackintosh.   Apology: Jo Smedley
 * 2) Reviewed and discussed proposed aims
 * 3) * Noted that the remix scenarios published in the Report on the Assessment and Accreditation of Learners using OER are complex and our thinking should be guided by what is currently possible at partner institutions. Nonetheless, the report can inform activities of the working group.
 * 4) * Resolved to use "Sending institution" and "Receiving institution" as organising principle.
 * 5) * Resolved: 1) Correct typo: delete "for" in the 3rd aim referencing BCCAT 2) Replace "for" with "and" in 4th aim
 * 6) * Noted that the Transnational qualifications framework is a useful mechanism providing a "common language" for determining level of course and notional learning hours.
 * 7) * Approved the proposed aims.
 * 8) Reviewed the proposed objectives
 * 9) * Noted that these flowed logically from the aims of the working group.
 * 10) * Approved the proposed objectives noting the flexibility to refine and adapt as work progresses.
 * 11) Affirmed that the OERu model for credit transfer and course articulation should respect institutional autonomy.
 * 12) Noted the suggested resource documents.
 * 13) * Resolved that the OpenUpEd Quality label document is better placed with the quality working group.
 * 14) * Noted the conservatism of the MITx report but that the report highlights issues the working group will need to take into account.
 * 15) * Mika Hoffman suggested that the OERTest report: Open Learning Recognition: Taking Open Educational Resources a Step Further should be added to the list of resource materials.
 * 16) Recognised that there are challenges which traditional campus-based institutions face when compared to ODL institutions with robust PLAR practices in place and noted that the OERu network comprises the full range of institutions. The outputs of the OERu Credit Transfer and Course Articulation working group could assist partners who are working to resolve these challenges.
 * 17) Noted that OERu course designers and developers are not necessarily well versed in institutional policy requirements for credit transfer and course articulation with reference to designing summative assessments. Guidelines can assist in maximising potential for articulation across the network.
 * 18) Discussed the proposed tasks
 * 19) * Resolved that commencing work on the draft guidelines should take place after the audit of current OERu course providers.
 * 20) * Agreed to establish Google Document and collaborate to develop questions for a survey of partners regarding credit transfer and course articulation. Establishing a baseline of what is possible taking into account membership growth since the last review is the best place to start. The group aims to complete the survey within 4 - 6 weeks.
 * 21) * Affirmed that the working group will prioritise what is actionable
 * 22) * Noted the complexities and potential magnitude of the work.
 * 23) Discussed date for next meeting
 * 24) * Agreed to schedule a date virtually before the 3rd meeting of the OERu Management Committee.
 * 25) * Noted the need to widen expertise of the working group
 * 26) * Resolved to send invitation to OERu partners to recruit colleague(s) who work in the registrars office
 * 27) * Resolved to identify and invite individual with knowledge and experience in implementing the Transnational Qualifications Framework.
 * 28) Adjourned 10.10am NZDT.

Action items

 * 1) Correct typos in proposed aims - Done --Mackiwg 23:52, 8 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 2) Add the OERTest report to list of resources - Done --Mackiwg 23:52, 8 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 3) Transfer OpenUpEd quality label document to quality working group - Done --Mackiwg 00:21, 9 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 4) Create Google document for designing the audit survey instrument - Done (Document set up so anyone can edit) --Mackiwg 01:55, 9 May 2014 (UTC)
 * 5) Extend invitation for representative from Registrars office to join working group
 * 6) Extend invitation to COL for TQF expert to join the working group.
 * 7) Schedule date of next meeting.