Open Sharing: Launching, Outreach, Publicity, Usage Monitoring, and Post-Launch Care

Abstract

Once an open-shared learning object or learning sequence has been designed to standards and polished and refined, it is published to the world, to achieve its fortunes (or not). This chapter surfaces some of the issues that will arise. A “soft” launch involves sharing the resources to smaller target groups, and a “hard” launch involves sharing to the broad general public. Both approaches may be employed to bring attention to the released object or sequence. Or neither approach may be used: some learning objects are open-shared without any fanfare. This chapter describes how to create mainstream media and social media “buzz” through publicity plans and how to attract publicity and measure the effectiveness of the media outreach. Learner usage monitoring of the learning resources is described to enable awareness of the usage. Finally, there is important discussion of post-launch care—to consider how much continuing support to provide to users, and to consider whether or not to revise the released work and/or build follow-on learning.

Key Terms and Definitions

Broadcast

To send a message to a wide audience through technology

Curation

The collection, selection, management, and presenting of relevant contents in a set

Hard Launch

A full release of a new learning resource to the general public

Narrowcast

To send a message to a relatively small audience

Post-Launch Care

(1) the support of past, current, and future users of an open-shared learning resource and/or (2) the maintenance and updating of learning resources into the future with necessary revisions and retrofitting

Potential Learners

The individuals and groups who may benefit from a particular learning resource but who were not the original intended focuses of the design and development

Press Release

A structured and official statement on a particular topic by an organization, individual, or company released to the public (and which may often be used verbatim, and which includes contact information about the press officer who may be contacted for more information)

Public Relations

The external communications of an ego or entity to promote a positive public reputation

Publicity

The distribution of information to the general public or to targeted groups

Publicity Campaign

A concerted endeavor to reach the public or targeted groups with particular messages (to induce the public to awareness, behavior, or other volitional actions)

Social Media

Socio-technical spaces that enable people to create persistent personality profiles, interact, intercommunicate, share digital resources, and achieve shared goals

Soft Launch

A partial release of a new learning resource to targeted or restricted audiences as either the full publicity endeavor or as a prelude to a hard launch

Targeted (Focal) Learners

The individuals and groups for whom a learning resource is intended (and was designed and developed for)

Usage Monitoring

The act of checking on the amount of usage a learning resource receives along with other usage information