Arguing for institutional 'Openness'

An article by Kenneth Mentor in the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration provides some very reasoned arguments for Open Access Learning Environments that could help with advocacy. While speaking from a US perspective, the situation sounds familiar with misapprehension and assumptions about intellectual property, value, privacy etc. stifling potential benefits. Some very practical solutions are shown to benefit pedagogical aims, and importantly the author points out "In addition to the efforts of individual educators, institutions can make a variety of policy choices that encourage open access."

Open educational content

Lots of stories and comments appearing this week about Open and user-generated educational content, so will gather some here in the best Remix fashion...

The OU is using YouTube to promote OpenLearn, emphasising the 'extra value' reuse possibilities as well as access to free educational resources.

OECD release a study called Participative Web: User-Created Content looking at the impact and challenges of 'UCC' and likely new business models

IWR reports JISC developing 'agile systems' to try and harness the potential of new online environments for mainstream education. The plan is aparently to 'take risks on behalf of the community' - recognising the problems institutions have connecting with learners in their informal environments.

The Online Education Database has produced an annotated list of tools and resources that promote participation in collaborative educational content creation and publication. Its an odd list, covering things like licensing models (but not Creative Commons), software, organisations, OpenCourseWare projects and repositories - some of which are 'Open' only if you make them so - but useful to see the range of activity.

The power of CC

Creative Commons (CC) is growing in use and awareness, and is helping change attitudes to digital content and its possibilities. The Eduserv Foundation has recently announced support for CC in the form of a donation, recognising the opportunities these licences present for education.

"CC has liberated us from thinking first and foremost about protecting and restricting content and has given us the ability to focus on sharing, which is fundamental to both learning and research"

Michael Geist and Andres Guadamuz report on a recent legal case involving a photographer alleging breach of his licence terms. The strength of CC will be enhanced as more cases appear, provided the licences are recognised and upheld by the courts!