Erika Smith, Richard Hayman
University of Alberta
Thursday, June 24
9:00 - 10:30
Room 134, TEL
Open educational resources (OERs) are generating new possibilities for e-learning while simultaneously breaking many barriers of access to education and information. The vast array of free and accessible open resources available to today’s twenty-first century teachers and learners include e-textbooks, digital courseware, online education commons, open access journals, institutional repositories, and open source software. These and other resources will level the playing field when it comes to accessing quality education.
This seminar will engage the underlying philosophies of the open movement and consider how such philosophies relate to the practical application of open technologies and resources. Participants will consider how learners may benefit as we continue to adopt open education principles, and will discuss the possibilities offered by open education resources, including how OERs are reshaping policy decisions and redefining how we select, implement, and use digital resources.
This session will ask participants to consider the availability and implications of open educational resources in their own institutions and learning environments. What OERs are available, and where do we find them? How can educators maximize the potential advantages of open resources in the context of their own institutions? What are the key benefits and risks of using open education tools? Perhaps most importantly, can and should educators encourage the adoption and use of open resources? Throughout, the seminar leaders will focus on exploring questions around best practices and effective strategies for the use of open education resources, and how those working in educational arenas can support open education through their own initiatives.
Suggested Resource (if possible, please review before the session)
Richard Baraniuk’s TED talk on open source learning.
Additional Resource
R. G. Baraniuk, “Challenges and Opportunities for the Open Education Movement: A Connexions Case Study,” (alternate link) in Opening Up Education - The Collective Advancement of Education through Open Technology, Open Content, and Open Knowledge, T. Iiyoshi, M. S. Vijay Kumar, eds., MIT Press, 2008.
NOTE: those who attended Baraniuk’s keynote at last year’s CeLC may not need review the TED talk.
Imagine the Possibilities
