Beck Pitt
Beck works as a researcher on the award winning Hewlett funded Open Education Research (OER) Hub at the Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University (UK). During the first phase of the project Beck focused particularly on informal learning and open textbooks and was responsible for collaboration work with BCcampus, Siyavula, OpenStax College, Bridge to Success, Co-PILOT and P2PU/School of Open. She was also responsible for the delivery of two facilitated iterations the project's School of Open "Open Research" course, which won an Open University Engaging Research Award in February 2015. The OER Research Hub was also awarded an Open CourseWare Consortium (OCWC) award for Open Research in April 2014.
Beck has worked on the research strand of the Scottish Funding Council's Opening Educational Practices in Scotland (OEPS) project since Fall 2014, and was responsible for developing detailed work packages comprising of scope and delivery of the research case studies, course and best practice guide, map and workshops. She is currently leading the development of the project's course on best practice in creating and using OER, which is due to launch early summer 2016.
Previous to her current post, she provided project and research support to the NGLC funded Bridge to Success project (June 2011 - December 2012) and, at The UK Data Archive, The University of Essex, project support to the EC FP7 funded project CESSDA-PPP.
In addition to her forthcoming and current publications, Beck has also reviewed papers for a variety of conferences and journals including UK Sartre Society conferences 2011-2015, Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning, DIS 2012, BJET, BJUP, JIME, ESTRO and three international graduate conferences in philosophy at the University of Essex. She joined the Reviewer Panel of the British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET) during May 2012 During May/June 2014 Beck acted as external reviewer for a Learning and Technology thesis on open textbooks (Royal Roads) and was an EdD co-supervisor from May 2013 to present, with her student successfully passing with corrections in November 2015.
Beck is a committee member of the UK Sartre Society and from September 2014 is responsible for the society's social media and website. Beck was responsible for the redesign of the Society's new website, which launched in January 2015 and the Society's new Facebook page. Beck was also an academic committee member for the 3rd Philosophy at Play conference, which took place in June 2015.
Supervisors: Ronald Aronson (External Examiner), Peter Dews (Supervisor), and Patrice Maniglier (Internal Examiner)
Beck has worked on the research strand of the Scottish Funding Council's Opening Educational Practices in Scotland (OEPS) project since Fall 2014, and was responsible for developing detailed work packages comprising of scope and delivery of the research case studies, course and best practice guide, map and workshops. She is currently leading the development of the project's course on best practice in creating and using OER, which is due to launch early summer 2016.
Previous to her current post, she provided project and research support to the NGLC funded Bridge to Success project (June 2011 - December 2012) and, at The UK Data Archive, The University of Essex, project support to the EC FP7 funded project CESSDA-PPP.
In addition to her forthcoming and current publications, Beck has also reviewed papers for a variety of conferences and journals including UK Sartre Society conferences 2011-2015, Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning, DIS 2012, BJET, BJUP, JIME, ESTRO and three international graduate conferences in philosophy at the University of Essex. She joined the Reviewer Panel of the British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET) during May 2012 During May/June 2014 Beck acted as external reviewer for a Learning and Technology thesis on open textbooks (Royal Roads) and was an EdD co-supervisor from May 2013 to present, with her student successfully passing with corrections in November 2015.
Beck is a committee member of the UK Sartre Society and from September 2014 is responsible for the society's social media and website. Beck was responsible for the redesign of the Society's new website, which launched in January 2015 and the Society's new Facebook page. Beck was also an academic committee member for the 3rd Philosophy at Play conference, which took place in June 2015.
Supervisors: Ronald Aronson (External Examiner), Peter Dews (Supervisor), and Patrice Maniglier (Internal Examiner)
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Book Chapters by Beck Pitt
Research Reports by Beck Pitt
The UK Open Textbook project was funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation with two main aims: firstly to promote the adoption of open textbooks in the UK, and secondly to investigate the transferability of the successful models of adoption to the UK. The project was led by The Open University (UK) OER Hub team in partnership with 2 US based open textbook providers and champions, OpenStax and the
Open Textbook Network, and WonkHE and the University of the West of England (UWE).
Initial research into the differences between the US and UK context highlighted that textbook use in these two contexts varies considerably and that there was little existing research into UK textbook use. The UK Open Textbook project carried out both an initial literature review and a survey of UK educators during the project. The cost of textbooks is a more significant barrier in the USA, and their usage tends to be more heavily mandated. However, participation costs for UK students are increasing, and textbooks represent a contributing factor.
In our 2018 survey with UK Higher Education (HE) educators, it was noted that whilst there is an initial low awareness of OER, respondents had a strong interest in pursuing their adoption.
UK Open Textbooks was a project focused on engagement. Through a number of workshops at a range of higher education institutions (HEIs) and targeted promotion at specific education conferences, the project successfully raised the profile of open textbooks within the UK. The project focused particularly on STEM subject textbooks and in spite of contextual differences between UK HEIs and their counterparts in North America there was considerable interest and appetite for open textbooks amongst UK academics. This was partly related to cost savings for students and institutions, but more significant factors were the freedom to adapt and develop textbooks. Open textbooks were also viewed as a possible means to counteract the disinterest of commercial publishers in developing books for smaller markets.
This report reflects upon the current use of textbooks at UK HE level and the potential for open textbooks. It contextualises and presents the tried and tested methods used to engage with stakeholders at events and workshops and reports back on our findings and outcomes from this activity. Finally this report also presents some of the case studies curated and created during the project; illustrating current best practice and use of open textbooks.
The UK Open Textbooks project successfully raised awareness of open textbooks and OER over a one year period, and through the project’s activity discovered that higher and further education is a potentially fertile ground for the use of open textbooks and further development in this area.
Find out more: http://oerresearchhub.org/2014/11/19/oer-evidence-report-2013-2014/
Journal Papers by Beck Pitt
The paper focuses primarily on the results of two surveys that were conducted with educators using a range of OSC open textbooks during 2013 and 2014/2015. The results of this research shows that OER such as OSC enables a majority of educators to better respond to student needs whilst often making teaching easier and in some instances changing teaching practices. Although this paper does not focus on the impact of OER on students, a majority of educators surveyed perceive an increase in student satisfaction when using OER such as OSC and believe that OSC are saving students money.
Book Reviews by Beck Pitt
The UK Open Textbook project was funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation with two main aims: firstly to promote the adoption of open textbooks in the UK, and secondly to investigate the transferability of the successful models of adoption to the UK. The project was led by The Open University (UK) OER Hub team in partnership with 2 US based open textbook providers and champions, OpenStax and the
Open Textbook Network, and WonkHE and the University of the West of England (UWE).
Initial research into the differences between the US and UK context highlighted that textbook use in these two contexts varies considerably and that there was little existing research into UK textbook use. The UK Open Textbook project carried out both an initial literature review and a survey of UK educators during the project. The cost of textbooks is a more significant barrier in the USA, and their usage tends to be more heavily mandated. However, participation costs for UK students are increasing, and textbooks represent a contributing factor.
In our 2018 survey with UK Higher Education (HE) educators, it was noted that whilst there is an initial low awareness of OER, respondents had a strong interest in pursuing their adoption.
UK Open Textbooks was a project focused on engagement. Through a number of workshops at a range of higher education institutions (HEIs) and targeted promotion at specific education conferences, the project successfully raised the profile of open textbooks within the UK. The project focused particularly on STEM subject textbooks and in spite of contextual differences between UK HEIs and their counterparts in North America there was considerable interest and appetite for open textbooks amongst UK academics. This was partly related to cost savings for students and institutions, but more significant factors were the freedom to adapt and develop textbooks. Open textbooks were also viewed as a possible means to counteract the disinterest of commercial publishers in developing books for smaller markets.
This report reflects upon the current use of textbooks at UK HE level and the potential for open textbooks. It contextualises and presents the tried and tested methods used to engage with stakeholders at events and workshops and reports back on our findings and outcomes from this activity. Finally this report also presents some of the case studies curated and created during the project; illustrating current best practice and use of open textbooks.
The UK Open Textbooks project successfully raised awareness of open textbooks and OER over a one year period, and through the project’s activity discovered that higher and further education is a potentially fertile ground for the use of open textbooks and further development in this area.
Find out more: http://oerresearchhub.org/2014/11/19/oer-evidence-report-2013-2014/
The paper focuses primarily on the results of two surveys that were conducted with educators using a range of OSC open textbooks during 2013 and 2014/2015. The results of this research shows that OER such as OSC enables a majority of educators to better respond to student needs whilst often making teaching easier and in some instances changing teaching practices. Although this paper does not focus on the impact of OER on students, a majority of educators surveyed perceive an increase in student satisfaction when using OER such as OSC and believe that OSC are saving students money.
Recording available here: http://open.bccampus.ca/2015/02/06/open-webinars-for-open-education-week/
Recording available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTnbyh7Utfw&feature=youtu.be
Pilots of the courses by partner institutions targeted disadvantaged and underserved student groups in US community colleges. The first significant pilot took place in early 2012 and by May 2012 we were able to report use in 12 institutions and exceeded our target of 750 identified learners ahead of schedule. Use has also spread outside of the project's original remit; the courses are now being used in Family Support Centres, Workforce Development Agencies and High Schools. Plans include deployment in Libraries and Mayoral Employment Development Offices. This extension is a surprising and impressive result. The diverse appeal, flexibility and openness of B2S content are all factors in achieving rapid scaling. Both college and non-college institutions and agencies have committed to using B2S beyond the pilots and on a long-term basis. Qualitative and quantitative evidence for student success is emerging from a broad range of sources. Pre- and post- questionnaires show students gaining confidence in learning and mathematics skills and the students preferred way of learning also showed changes, indicating a stronger interest in “working with a group” and “having a structure”. Self-assessment points built into the units suggest strong improvements in students who initially struggled. For those working outside the college sector direct results could be seen: of 35 learners who originally failed a math entry test for a weatherization training program, 80% then passed after working with SWiM for a 1-3 week period. Partner colleges are adopting or integrating the courses into their curriculum whilst non-college piloting agencies are integrating B2S materials into their training programmes and courses.
Our research shows the combination of accessible content and openness is taking OER from use by those who are already independently IT and technologically literate to those learners trying to return to education lacking IT skills.
This presentation will showcase the project's research findings using diverse case studies to show how collaboration with a wide range of agencies took place, and explore the specific challenges facing students within these contexts. We also explore cross-institutional collaborations as solutions to ensure that OER is more widely available to those who would benefit from it most.
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