Are you ‘Open’ to Open Education? What is Open Education? Education should be something that is accessible to everyone. This shouldn’t be dependent on wealth, race, health, location, etc. It should be available for everyone. This week in class we learned more about Open Education. I have to admit that I knew very little of what it was and that what I had thought was only partially correct.
For those that do not know or have questions about Open Education I have linked an article from BCcampus OpenEd.
I watched a video that was shared with my ECI831 class called Why Open Education Matters. I was once again struck by the fact that here in Canada we take for granted that we are able to get an education and until Post Secondary this is of very little cost. If we were to live in another country this could cost us a lot more and the resources that we are using and being taught from could be out of date as it cost money to be able to purchase new ones. (I feel a bit of this teaching in a rural community when events are taking place in large centers and we are invited to join if we can afford the transportation to get there)
If we believe that everyone deserves to be educated than we should ensure that the resources are readily available for this to happen. Using resources that are digital helps in ensuring that the content is current as it can be updated on a more regular basis and you do not need to wait for new copies to be printed and distributed.
Professionally using Open Education resources is beneficial as it helps me to not recreate work that has already been created. As an educator I spend time and money creating and purchasing resources that I might only need a small part of. If we were able and willing to share our resources and allow others to make the changes to it that they need to make it work in their teaching environment this would help in cutting down the time teachers put into this work after hours as well as the cost. Pros & Cons of Open Education. Although there are benefits to using Open Education resources there are also downfalls such as the quality of the product and not knowing if it will be compatible with the technology that is used at your school. Where to find OER materials?
Other Places to find OER materials:
Saskatchewan First Nations Dashboard
As an educator I appreciate when other educators share the materials that they have created and do not charging for them. I know that on my staff we share our resources but with us being a small school they do not always work for others and this becomes difficult if the teacher that students get next uses your resources as students often complain about already doing that activity.
My division also uses Grade alike groupings and has teachers put their resources there to be shared at that grade level. When we started during COVID this was a great space to get resources but since then it is not accessed or added to often. I think many teachers either forget it is there or do not know about it as they are new to the division.
Personally as a Master’s students I appreciate when a Professor uses OER items as this helps in saving me money and making my educational experience more affordable. I know that content is always changing and new editions are being created of textbooks. By using an OER model the changes can be made and students are able to access them without an added price due to the new edition.
I know that I need to do my part both professionally and personally to help in making Open Education a reality for all. This means sharing what I have learned with others as well as sharing resources that I have created so others are able to access them.
Before this class I was neither open or closed to Open Education I was unaware of what it was totally. Now that I am aware I see its importance and want to figure out how I can help to make it more well known and used. I see the benefits of accessing OER materials and in sharing. I think that everyone should have the opportunity to receive an education and that we as educators need to help in ensuring that this happens.
Now that you know more are you ‘Open’ to Open Education? What might you do to use OER in your classroom?
Andrea,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Open Education. Like you our privilege allows us greater access to education. I agree that sharing resources and being open is a great start to ensuring everyone gets a chance to an education regardless of where they live or their socio-economic status. Great work!