Friday, 17 of November 2017, within the Educational Center PRO DIDACTICA (Armeneasca 13 str., Chisinau), a closing Conference “Open Education in Moldova: Here and Now”- phase II was held. This event was attended by policy makers from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research of the Republic of Moldova, members of the Coalition for Open Educational Resources in Moldova, representatives from the General Departments of Education, Youth and Sport, trainers of the Center, finalists of the OER Contest, as well as didactical staff from schools and universities, interested in the issue.

During the event, the EC PRO DIDACTICA presented the achievements of the project Open Education in Moldova: Here and Now – phase II,  which was implemented in the period October 2016 – December 2017, with financial support of the Institute of Open Society Foundation, in cooperation with the Education Support Program of the Open Society Foundation; the relevant use of OER for different educational actors was debated; the results for the Republican Contest of the best open educational resources, determining a better access for an open education and the Guide “Open Educational Resources: opportunities for access, quality and relevance” have also been presented.

At the Contest participated more than 40 teachers, 20 of them, authors of original digital teaching materials, including teaching projects, presentations, blogs and educational movies coming to the final stage. The finalists were chosen by an independent jury formed of experts in the field, based on objective criteria’s set in advance. The winning works will get free license and will become open educational resources, for every person interested in adapting it to his own necessities (http://red.prodidactica.md/resurse-red/red-nationale/).

The aim of the project was to continue to promote an advocacy campaign for fostering changes in policy documents which are important for incorporating OER in policies and to strengthen the capacity of teachers in providing access to quality education for all through sharing OER in a transparent and efficient way. Among action beneficiaries there are pupils, teachers, institutions, parents, students, political actors, public institutions, ONGs etc.

According to the definition proposed by UNESCO in 2002, OER are educational resources that can be used and reused freely, without restrictions, legal and technological costs, by anyone. Their use in the performance of public programs is one of the basic principles of good governance: what is produced on public money should be available to the public free of charge. In Moldova, the activity of producing RED is in its early stages, but there are significant opportunities for the future. The expected impact is the development and production use OER practices in Moldova, in order to include OER in existing and future educational policies.

Project expert: dr.hab. conf.univ. Viorica Goraş-Postică
Coordinator: Cristina Bujac, EC PRO DIDACTICA
Contacts: cbujac@prodidactica.md

Tel. 069233782