Page 160 - Open and Distance Education In Asia : Good Practice From AAOU Members

140 OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATON IN ASIA
Good Practices from AAOU Members

Accordance with this policy, the university
developed and launched a set of Continuous
Professional Development (CPD) massive
open online courses (MOOCs) on the adoption
of OER and Open Educational Practices (OEP).
This is an initiative of the Open University
of Sri Lanka (OUSL), supported by the
Commonwealth Educational Media Centre
for Asia (CEMCA). The goal of this initiative
is to raise awareness on the potentials of
OER and OEP among practitioners from any
field of study. The whole initiative comprises
four CPD MOOCs to support participants
solve authentic and real-world problems and
issues that they are likely to be facing in their
workplaces in relation to adopting OER and
OEP.

A defining characteristic of these MOOCs
is their unique design, which is scenario-
based learning. Learning scenarios have
been carefully crafted to reflect the kind
of problems, issues, and challenges that
practitioners are likely to be confronting
in their environments. The university has
already offered these MOOCs on two
occasions. The CPD MOOCs consisted of RESEARCH FINDINGS IN
four independent modules and students THE LAST FIVE YEARS
had the option to register for any or all OUSL identifies research and innovation as a
the modules of their choice. Initially, 183 priority in the corporate plan. The university
participants, registered in the first module has activities and strategies at a satisfactory
of the CPD MOOCs. Subsequently, more level that encourage and facilitate a research
numbers registered for different modules of culture. This includes research funding and
the CPD MOOCs. Altogether 417 participants annual awards for excellence in research by
representing 28 countries registered in all academic staff. The interest in establishing
four modules, and 136 participants have partnerships, interactions, and collaborations
completed the modules and were awarded through agreements and memorandum of
digital badges. understanding with local and international
organizations/institutions and industry is a
part and parcel of the university’s activities.

The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL)