Orientative teaching with Open Educational Resources: the role of teachers in students’ transition from high school to university

Close contact between schools and universities may help students take an informed choice on future paths in education and job. Educational stakeholders must act in synergy among themselves and the other partners. At the University of Turin, an experience of teacher training called "Ambasciatori start@unito nelle scuole" (start@unito ambassadors in schools) helps secondary teachers act as links between secondary and higher education institutions. Teachers attended a module in which they learn how to provide "orientative teaching" using Open Educational Resources. According to the knowledge of the authors, there is very little international research about didactics with the specifically declared purpose of orientation. All resources are based on university modules specifically developed to facilitate students’ transition from secondary school to university. Teachers experimented with their educational activities aimed at showing students possibilities for future exploration. The experience of the ambassadors was analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively through questionnaires to investigate the role of the teacher and the mediation of technology in this transition context and the consequent change in school didactics, also considering the students’ point of view. Findings show that teachers appreciated this peculiar project, they recognized that students developed essential skills, and they became more aware of their role, also as orientators in their daily teaching. These findings imply the need for wider training actions to address other school teachers on these important matters.