The generation and exploitation of open educational resources in virtual attendance in UNED

Abstract

In this article the generation and exploitation of open educational resources in "virtual attendance" are discussed. Virtual attendance is defined as the combination of synchronous and asynchronous ICT tools used to provide distance education students with the same educational experience that conventional students receive in fact-to-face classes. It combines synchronous and asynchronous video and Web conferencing and recording systems using smart boards and digital repositories, and is contextualized with the temporal and structural planning, sequencing and collaborative tools available in UNED's VLE, aLF. OERs play a fundamental role here since they provide a conceptual and legal framework within which content generated in virtual attendance can be freely generated, modified and exploited. It is argued that such an application of OER reflects the inherently user generated content philosophy that underlies the Web 2.0, where a significant part of our students are already contributing content in a wide range of areas online. Hence, it is argued that the communication and content creation tools present in virtual attendance can potentiate the generation of new OERs, moving them into mainstream higher education, and thereby improving the educational process. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.