For Royal Roads Master of Arts in Learning and Technology program I reviewed  presentations from a virtual symposium. I would like to speak about openness in two of these presentations. The first is Dave Cormier’s presentation from the 2017 symposium. Responsible for coining the term Massive Open Online Course or ‘MOOC’ this presentation was of particular interest. Cormier (2017) discusses the use of the word “open” in open education resources.  Cormier questions what does ‘open’ really mean in the context of education?  Historically the meaning of open meant opening up access to the education system and does not define how the mechanics of  learning process. “Focusing on open as in content and open as in learning are both forms of widening participation.” My recent experience with an online writing MOOC  at edX (edX, 2018) is  a typical example. ‘edX’  courses are a collection of condensed versions of university courses. Valuable as content they offer little choice other than take it or leave it.  Open in content is appropriate for a multitude of learning contexts such as how learn how to complete tasks, it grants access but it lacks a deeper meaning. I think the vague nature of ‘open in learning’ is really fundamental to the development of new learning. I believe open in OER is really about choice and the independence to go where learning leads you.  “I see open like a ‘rhizome’ Cormier(2017). Cormier’s use of rhizome as a metaphor on open as in learning speaks to the interconnections and exponential nature of learning given the right condition.

Additional definitions on openness that I encountered within the symposium and open educational resources (OER) is how they are modelled within the MALAT program. Childs (2018) defines the pedagogy of openness as a vehicle for educational change.  I thought of this in terms of a balancing the benefits with the practical realities of providing the education. Viewed from a  business model it seems to ignore traditional educational revenue streams, a surprising concept for me. My work in apprenticeship training was often thought of a business, we sold content by course packs, and mitigated risks by delivering a rigid block release format.  Childs (2018) describes a continual negotiated space where stakeholders intersect as always a work in progress sharing the benefits and challenges within an open concept.. The concept of openness on a continuum of risk is an important point I take away from this presentation. The design and interaction between the internal learning management system Moodle and an open education resource WordPress addresses practical licensing concerns by creating a buffer between the bounded and unbounded spaces. Greater risk is inherent in relinquishing control over educational resources. Concerns over how actions by one and how they can impact the greater community should be measured and placed on the continuum of risk. Honoring the concept of openness, while managing the inherent risks is always a work in progress.  A key consideration in planning for the use of openness as a vehicle for educational change.

 

References

Childs, E. (April 16, 2018) A continuum of openness in a MA degree. RRU MALAT Virtual Symposium 2018.

Cormier, D. (April 18, 2017) Values of Open: Intentional messiness of online communities. RRU MALAT Virtual Symposium 2017.

edX. (2018, 07 23). https://www.edx.org/. Retrieved from https://www.edx.org/course