Introduction to Open Education, Recommendations, and Documents

Open Educational Practices (OEP)

Open Educational Practices (OEP) make a range of different teaching and learning approaches more transparent, easier to share, and more visible. OEP refers to specific teaching and educational practices that not only use open educational resources (OER) but are also open to change, adaptation, and collaboration.

Open educational practices are also linked to the formal recognition of certificates acquired through open learning and are primarily based on the use of digital technologies. OEP supports the use of open educational resources, curricula, recorded lectures, and lesson plans, as well as the sharing of experiences and learning and teaching strategies. The goal of OEP is to shift the focus from resources and focus on the practices and methods that are part of teaching and learning a particular subject or unit.

In addition, OEP encourages the sharing of syllabi, lessons, teaching assignments, assessments, and expected learning outcomes in order to increase the transparency of teaching and educational practices and to encourage peer learning. OEP is also intended to be applied in a way that motivates students to design their own ways and approaches to learning, with a wide choice of educational resources, thereby promoting open learning.

The use of OEP in teaching and learning promotes a culture of sharing. This leads to increased availability of open educational resources and teaching and educational practices that are student-centered and based on peer learning and collaboration.

Figure 3. Open Educational Practices