First ICORE Official Meeting Successfully Concluded

ESSEN, Germany - July 19, 2013 - PRLog -- Rome – ICORE founders and interested individuals met last March in Rome, Italy to discuss the establishment of the association, its publically available draft of statues, and future objectives within the topics of open research and open education. This discussion will be continued through a pair of online meetings open to all interested parties, taking place on July 30th, 2013 at 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM (UTC). Over forty participants from more than a dozen countries gathered in Rome to provide their professional experience, elaborating on the ICORE mission. Their diverse backgrounds, including computer science, information management, language learning, literature, physics, and quality management, brought a great deal of constructive and varied input to the meeting. Ultimately, however, participants were united in their support of ICORE and the potential the association has to develop and promote the largely neglected connection between open education and open research practices on an international level.

Prominent experts in the fields of open education and technology-enhanced learning were present to contribute to the formation of ICORE’s objectives and structure. UNESCO Open Educational Resources Chair Rory McGreal from the University of Athabasca in Canada emphasized the lack of communication between efforts in open research and open education, but also the necessity for a clear definition of the term “open” within the context of the association. Online and distance learning experts Dr. Tony Bates of Tony Bates Associates Ltd and Jay Cross of the Internet Time Group LLC confirmed McGreal’s concern for clear definitions upon which to base and differentiate the association’s efforts. They also expressed their concern for the motivation behind ICORE activities, as the non-profit association will not demand membership fees. ICORE co-founder Christian M. Stracke from the University of Duisburg-Essen addressed these concerns by asserting the great degree of individual gain through joining the association – ICORE’s focus on promoting and disseminating organizations, projects, and individuals active in the themes of open education and research, as well as efforts towards their interconnection, ensures that participation is beneficial both for the association and its separate members.

The discussion began during the first official, physical meeting will be continued through a series of virtual meetings, beginning on July 30th, 2013 at 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM UTC – to take part, please contact the association through the ICORE website at www.icore-online.org for further information. These meetings will be used to further expand upon potential ICORE activities, including the collection of case studies for digital resource repositories, a definition of ICORE’s basic terms and objectives, and the creation of a joint-report on the importance of open education and research. All interested participants and ICORE members are encouraged to attend these meetings to take part in the creation of an innovative association for the interconnection of open research and open education.  More information and the latest ICORE news can be found as soon as it becomes available at the official website: www.icore-online.org.