Our Work

Welcome to the

'Open For Business'
OER OMAC project website

The project focus was to provide Open Educational Resources (OERs) that has a discipline and/or subject context which makes the resource more relevant and accessible to those in business education. In most cases this has built on the outcomes of earlier work about support needs for new lecturers through BMAF and Academy Scotland.
Although elements can be used at various levels the principal aim was for their application for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), especially PG Certificate Teaching & Learning programmes relating to the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF).

Introduction

In 2010 the BMAF Network was awarded funding for this project through the HEFCE/JISC/ HEA Open Educational Resources (OER) Programme: Open Materials for Accredited Courses (OMAC) strand. The overall target was to make available a range of open repurposable resources for professional development of staff which could be used in assessment to accrue around 60 credits. The principal aim of ‘Open for Business' was to contribute resources with a business education context.
This was an 11 month project working with 5 universities from 31st August 2010 to 31st July 2011, led by the BMAF Network based at Oxford Brookes. The Project Lead was Richard Atfield, then BMAF Assistant Director, who is now HEA Discipline Lead for Business and Management.

For details of the overall OER OMAC programme and other related projects, visit the HEA Open Educational Resources page. 

Project Aim and Outputs

Within the project timescale to identify, develop and deposit OERs with a business education context which can be used for CPD and map to the UKPSF.

The longer term aim is to encourage business and management schools to share Open Educational Resources (OERs) with a subject context which can be accessed and repurposed for use elsewhere. In this case the project directly contracted with five institutions but it is hoped that others within the BMAF Network will contribute in future once the benefits of the project are realised. Specific outputs include:

• Aston - Tools to support the development of intercultural and inclusivity competencies; Approaches, benefits and use of peer observation for personal development
• Dundee - Short self-study activities to develop digital literacy skills
• Glamorgan - CPD templates for the UK PSF 2006 at SD (Standard Descriptor) 1, 2 and 3 (This will be updated when the UKPSF revision is released later in 2011)
• Liverpool - An ‘Insider’s Guide’ and ‘Jargon Buster’ for new and aspiring business academics
• Southampton Solent - Tricks and tips for teaching and learning including short video discussions.

Links to a list of items deposited in Jorum can be downloaded here (84kb .doc)