This is a reflexive task for partners on the CSAPOER2 project, designed to help them with developing a schema for the cascade framework.

1. C-SAP OER2 cascade project reflexive partner task: Developing the cascade
framework schema
For an overview of current approaches to developing the cascade framework, see a recently
published blog post which attempts to provide a summary, there is also a mindmap which
functions as the first attempt at developing a cascade schema on the basis of our
conversations at recent project meeting.
Your task is to add to these discussions by developing a schema of your own by 15th March
2011. There will be a follow-up to this task in the form of phone catch-up conversations with
the project team at the end of March.
Feel free to use mindmaps, some good online tools are mindmeister or freemind, but good
old pen and paper will do as well, provided you scan the image and upload it to your page
on the project wiki. Also, feel free to experiment with Open University tools on concept
mapping, Compendium and Cohere. If you are unsure how to visually represent the cascade,
feel free to use bullet points (my mind map is actually a set of revised bullet points actually).
After you add your cascade schema to the wiki, if possible, please provide some annotations
so that it is meaningful for your colleagues. The annotations could be in the form of an
audio commentary - please provide a transcript if you decide to that! One option to consider
voicethread; here’s an example of using voicethread in the context of the pilot project.
You might find the following prompts useful when you map out your understanding of the
cascade framework.
Reflexive prompts
To start with, we have identified the following elements as relevant to the emerging cascade
framework (see also the mindmap):
- Influences from the pilot phase
- Being cascaded to/cascading
- Student engagement
- OER-related expertise
- Contributions from partners
Are all of the above essential to your understanding of the emerging cascade framework?
What else should be included?
Copyright C-SAP, 2011. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
2.0 UK: England & Wales http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/
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2. As you will see from the overview of other cascade projects posted on our blog, there is an
emphasis on adapting the cascade framework to the particular context of a specific
institution/ discipline– are there any other contexts that should be taken into account?
Given unlimited resources, which stakeholders should be involved in the development of
the cascade framework – our focus is on student engagement but maybe we should we go
beyond just academic staff and students?
What elements should the cascade framework include to make it sustainable once the
projects are over and the funding is removed?
Copyright C-SAP, 2011. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
2.0 UK: England & Wales http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/
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