Open Education 2014

This presentation will describe and discuss the unintended positive institutional consequences for implementing an Open Course Design initiative at Chadron State College. These consequences are relevant to any institutional program of higher learning that chooses to move forward with an open education [resource] based instructional framework – at either the program, unit, or degree level.

Unintended positive institutional outcomes at Chadron State College include:
- Insuring Good Course Design? (i.e., Quality Matters Rubric);
- Increase in student learning-- based on clear identification and appropriate assessment of specific student course learning outcomes;
- Increase in curricular efficiency through curricular alignment activities across program courses to
eliminate concept redundancy, and to ensure scaffolding
and reinforcement of key student learning
outcomes;
- Provides an alternative path to program progression for non-traditional or displaced student clientele;
- Increases access to higher education programing;
- Supports the mission of the college by building on
Intentional Initiatives established during our
campus-based strategic planning efforts;
- Lowers educational costs to students through textbook zero course design;
- Provides for increased program transparency for external critics;
- Increases faculty collaboration and course/program articulation - between and among depts./campuses
- Engages faculty in a unified effort;
- Promotes discourse on program effectiveness & reflection of desired program outcome statements;
- Prompted the hiring of an institutional Instructional Designer;
- Prompted the hiring of a VP for Teaching and Learning Technologies; and
- Worked to ultimately establish a CSC Open Education Project Plan