ORT working group

The Open Recognition Toolkit (ORT) project is a community project that aims to create a comprehensive handbook on Open Recognition. Inspired by the Credential as You Go playbooks, we want to develop a wide range of resources and practical guidelines. This initiative will empower individuals and organizations to understand and implement Open Recognition principles, fostering a culture of inclusivity and appreciation in various domains.

Why are we doing this?

Open Recognition is a valuable, revolutionary way of approaching community interactions. However, it can be difficult to get started with in cultures that are used to high-stakes, competitive education systems. As one of the ORE community members commented:

“[The] focus is on how we communicate well with those who don't have Open Recognition as part of their mindset when it comes to overall awarding and credentialing. [The] goal is to make things easier for people wherever they are in the ecosystem. There are many stakeholders and there is different messaging depending on context, including earners who don't know that this can be useful (if at all)...” (Stella Porto)

Our aim is therefore to create a toolkit of handbook for people new to Open Recognition to be able to get started quickly and easily.

What are we working on?

• Overview of Open Recognition
• Development of personas
• Practical examples
• Templates and resources (See the Guides category too!)
• Step-by-step guide

How can I join the group?

This group grew out of the ORE community who saw the need for a toolkit on Open Recognition. Everybody can join the working group. The discussion is held synchronously in the special ORT working group community calls and asynchronously in a discussion thread in the ORE community. For documentation we are using an etherpad for the meeting notes as well as building out the toolkit in this wiki.

When are we working towards?

Our aim is to launch ORT at ePIC 2023 in early December. Our timeline is therefore:

Phase 1: Research and Scoping

1. Stakeholder Identification: Quickly identify the primary users who will benefit from the ORT, such as educators, HR managers, and learners.
2. Gap Analysis: Conduct a swift review of existing resources and tools to determine what the ORT should uniquely offer.
3. Resource Allocation: Decide on the human and financial resources that will be dedicated to this project.

Phase 2: Content and Tool Development

1. Core Content Creation: Focus on developing the most essential components of the ORT, such as implementation guides and tool directories.
2. Peer Review: Involve a small group of experts or potential users to review the toolkit's content for relevance and accuracy.
3. Technical Setup: If the toolkit includes any digital tools or platforms, set these up for easy access and use.

Phase 3: Testing and Launch

1. Pilot Testing: Test the toolkit with a small but diverse group of users to gather initial feedback.
2. Refinement: Make necessary adjustments to the toolkit based on the feedback received.
3. Launch and Distribution: Use online platforms, partnerships, and social media to distribute the toolkit and make it accessible to the intended audience.

Output

For mindmapping and curating first ideas we created a whimsical board that everybody is encouraged to edit.