Scaling Support Options 2021-2022
Why OpenSkill?
You will be working with two leading groups within Arizona State University that are collaborated on grant-funded initiatives totalling over $20M:
You will also be part of a coalition of institutions including our three funded college partners: Maricopa Community Colleges, Miami Dade College, and Ivy Tech Community College.
Instructional Design Support
Advising on learning activities that support course objectives
Creating new assignments or adapting existing assignments to create assignments that utilize tools within the OpenSkill suite
Recommending OER to support existing content
Defining criteria for success for graded work (such as assignment instructions and rubrics)
Providing technical support for integrating the OpenSkill suite into a course
We at OpenSkill know that some instructors are eager to integrate new technologies into their courses but are not sure what to prioritize.
OpenSkill Instructional Designers can work with instructors to create a tailored plan for their courses including but not limited to:
White Glove Service
Many institutions and departments are trying to expand the use of OER to save students money. OpenSkill can accelerate these goals by working at the department level to develop a full course in your institution’s LMS.
Starting with OpenSkill Content Packages and Tools as a base and working together with course builders, instructional designers, program leads, and content experts, OpenSkill can offer;
Trainings & Webinars
OpenSkill can provide webinars, trainings, or professional development to instructors, program leads, and instructional designers on the OpenSkill suite through a convenient and informative real-time webinar.
Webinars and trainings give us the opportunity to teach partner institutions how to use the OpenSkill suite and discuss why the tools in the suite are a valuable resource for them and their students. Following a webinar there will be a short Q&A session where potential OpenSkill users can ask broad questions that can help them frame an approach to adopting OpenSkill tools in their own courses. The webinars will be recorded and available on the OpenSkill website as an asynchronous viewing option to support onboarding efforts.
Trainings would be smaller group and tool or subject area specific for a more directly applicable to specific courses and a more interactive experience for attendees. Here they can ask specific questions about tool capabilities or how to use the tool in their specific subject area.
These webinars and trainings are a great way to see how the tools function and start to brainstorm utilization methods with sound pedagogical approaches with the tool experts!
Knowledge Checks &
Evidence-Based Teaching
The latest research* indicates that formative assessments and student metacognition are generally more effective than traditional summative assessments.
OpenSkill Instructional Designers are here to assist with the creation of formative instructional assessments, knowledge checks, and engaging reflection-based activities rooted in best practices and sound pedagogical approaches for both online and in-person courses.
OpenSkill Instructional designers can work with instructors and course builders to brainstorm and refine course knowledge checks, while including the OpenSkill suite and intentionally aligning the knowledge checks with learning objectives while retaining a mindful research-based approach to learning.
*Smith, A. K., Black, S., & Hooper, L. M. (2020 ). Metacognitive knowledge , skills, and awareness:
A possible solution to enhancing academic achievement in African American adolescents. Urban Education, 55(4), 6 25-639.
In-class Activities
OpenSkill Instructional Designers are here to help strategize effective learning experiences and adaptive learning activities at the course-level while incorporating best practices established by recent research surrounding metacognition and skill application.
The intention is to leverage strategies such as active learning, self-regulation, and formative practice, while promoting academic agency, inclusivity, clarity of expectations and transparent assessment criteria to support a positive student experience, and create activities that are for hybrid and blended settings.
OpenSkill Instructional Designers can work directly with instructors and course builders to determine ways to approach interactive learning experiences that promote metacognition and align with course learning outcomes and incorporate the OpenSkill suite and OER.
Instructor Resource & Website Improvements
We will create a robust collection of guides and instructional materials for OpenSkill adopters.
We can provide a robust collection of guides and instructional materials for OpenSkill adopters. These guides and materials would be hosted on www.openskillhub.org and could include things like:
Think of the site as a “Getting Started” hub for onboarding and improving the instructor experience.