Open learning materials, a clever identification method facilitating flexible learning paths and electronic assessment aroused interest

Each year. the event brings together approximately 2,000 participants consisting of teachers, rectors, teaching technology experts, researchers, decision-makers and students. In addition, a group of service providers and other people interested in digital education and learning and the application of information and communication technologies, especially in primary and secondary education, will arrive at the scene.
 

Towards expertise

The main theme of the conference was ‘Towards a time of competence'. Sitra's Senior Adviser, Tapio Huttula, City of Helsinki's Digital Development Manager Pasi Silander, HR Director of Vincit Oy Johanna Pystynen and Director General Olli-Pekka Heinonen from the National Board of Education highlighted views on lifelong learning, future competence requirements, learning analysis and the digital future of schools.

The Open Educational Materials Service is underway to promote these common goals on the basis of the vision of continuous learning. This is a service developed by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the National Board of Education, and its aim is to promote the use of open learning materials.

The service to be published at the end of the year collects open learning materials from different locations in a single view shared by all levels of education. The service allows anyone to search for, use and evaluate learning resources and to save their own open learning materials. The development of the service is coordinated by the CSC - IT Center for Science.
 

Demand for open materials

Open learning materials were presented at a briefing organized by the central cooperation network of the sector, Digikilta, and the event attracted the largest audience of the living room forums. The discussions were particularly interested in how openness is determined. It was also pointed out that there is a great need for a service of this kind.

Open learning materials were also discussed in connection with continuous learning in the thematic workshop of the previous day. On Thursday, Tarmo Toikkanen and teacher Tero Toivanen, who produce learning materials on copyright issues and programming, presented the learning materials available on the info page of the service to a full house.

"The participants were particularly interested in the development of the service and how they can be part of it. The service will be developing during 2019, and you can add your own learning materials to the database from the fall onwards. You can get involved, for example, by following the aoe.fi website or aoe_suomi on Twitter and by coming to the events. Close cooperation will also take place with various state-funded projects, so why not send a message to oppimateriaalivaranto@csc.fi to begin cooperation!" CSC Project Manager Anna Lindfors prompts.
 

User identification made easy and fast

The learner's MPASSid identification solution, which supports a digital and flexible study path, also attracted people to the stand.

MPASSid provides an easy and time-saving way to log in to a wide range of services used by schools. It is a GDPR-compliant identification service for the purposes of continuous learning and provided by the Ministry of Education and Culture.

The rapid increase in the number of users in the fall 2018 was reflected in an awareness of the existence of the service, and many already had experiences of its use. Users provided valuable feedback on how they wanted the service to develop in the future.   
 

EXAM modernizes taking exams

Using EXAM for evaluation and teaching cooperation purposes was presented to a large crowd on Thursday. EXAM is an electronic exam system that supports the electronic realization of various proficiency tests.

The development in 2019 will focus on piloting and developing joint use in the form of a student's exam visit and teaching cooperation exam visits.

Part of the discussion centered on how the flexibility of upper secondary school education could be enhanced, and how it could be supported by more effective electronic learning environments, such as exam arrangements. It is obvious that people are interested in electronic exams, and their diverse potential is acknowledged at different levels of education. 

Further information:

• Promoting open educational resources 
• MPASSid – identification service for continuous learning  
• EXAM Electronic exam service

Further reading: Open educational resources support continuous learning 

PICTURES: ADOBE STOCK

Published originally 03.04.2019.

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