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Technology has revolutionized the way we live. It is almost impossible to go through an entire day without having to check your smartphone, since most of our daily tasks are dependent on the internet or instant communication. Furthermore, even the approaches to and the structures of the educational system have evolved due to the rise of technology and the ability to connect to the entire world. The increasing price of education, partnered with its indispensability for a successful life, has also created problems in the traditional education system. Although education is slowly becoming more democratized due to the efforts of governments to make education accessible to all, most students still do not have all the necessary resources to maximize their learning. Most schools and universities, particularly in developing countries are still utilizing traditional approaches to education. Students mainly learn in a classroom setting, and depend on their teachers and printed materials, such as textbooks, for their learning. This creates a divide, since education is only made accessible to those who can afford purchasing such textbooks.

Due to the rise of technology coupled with the unaffordability and the infectivity of traditional education, the principles of open education have been easily received not just by forward thinking educational institutions, but also by the general public. The idea of education and learning being accessible to all individuals, regardless of place and time, has contributed to excitement and eagerness to develop such an educational practice. However, since the educational system for most of the globe has remained the same for decades, this is not the easiest process. In fact, although open education is perceivably a phenomenal idea, it does not come without challenges.

I have already written about open education and pedagogy in my previous posts. For this post, I will delve even deeper into the benefits and challenges of open pedagogy, as I answer the question, “What are the benefits and challenges of practicing open pedagogy?” This post is divided into three parts. First, I will present some literature on open education. This will primarily revolve around the attributes of such an education, as well as some real-life examples of open education practices. In the second part, I will discuss the benefits and challenges of open education. Third, I will provide some recommendations as to how to best utilize open education principles. It is important to explore open education, as it is slowly becoming the norm of education, especially as it is increasingly used by universities and other educational institutions. Building awareness regarding its principles will allow us to prepare ourselves for the changes in the approach to and understanding of education and allow us to maximize learning in every way we can.

Definition and Attributes of Open Education and its Resources

Before presenting the principles and attributes of open education, it is necessary to first establish a definition. According to UNESCO, open educational resources are “open provision of educational resources, enabled by information and communication technologies, for consultation, use, and adaptation by a community of users for non-commercial purposes” (Thorpe 10). Of course, there are several other definitions of open education or pedagogy and open resources, but this was most appropriate for this post, since it highlights the use of information and communication technologies and also presents the end user as a community. This is important to keep in mind, as technology and community are two of the most fundamental aspects of open pedagogy. Hegarty outlines eight attributes of open pedagogy, each of which I will briefly summarize (5):

  1. Participatory Technologies – This does not necessarily lead to a successful and open community; however, it does entail the fostering of a more social approach to education (Hegarty 5). Through various online platforms, users are encouraged to share and build upon each other’s’ content. Through this approach, creativity is highlighted and peer-to-peer learning is essential.
  2. People, Openness, Trust – Hegarty argues that without a sense of trust amongst the online learners who engage in educational platforms, it is difficult to establish an open and creative community (7). Hence, in order for open pedagogy to be effective, the traits of openness and trust must first be practiced.
  3. Innovation and Creativity – Due to the open and highly malleable nature of such a pedagogy, learners are encouraged to engage in innovate and creative ideas. Since they are able to create their own materials (e.g. videos, blogs, forum posts), they are no longer passive recipients of information, but are not actors in their own learning.
  4. Sharing Ideas and Resources – In any educational setting, resources are mostly provided by the teacher. Hence, when it comes to sharing ideas and resources online, teachers are more apprehensive. However, it has been acknowledged that when educators share their materials to others, the learning process flourishes and quality and diversity of learning is enhanced (Hegarty 8).
  5. Connected Community – This is similar to participatory technologies, but focuses more on the individuals that engage in the educational platform (Hegarty 9). This not only requires a willingness on the part of the learners, but also the effectiveness of the online platform to promote engagement and foster a sense of community.
  6. Learner-Generated – Similar to innovation and creativity, a learner-generated space is one wherein students are fully involved in the learning process, work collectively with other learners, and reflect on their connections with the community (Hegarty 8 – 9). In this way, relationships are built and learning is always dynamic.
  7. Reflective Practice – Online learning, although highly collaborative, also presents numerous opportunities for self-reflection. As students gather information online and create their own resources, a process of reflection naturally unfolds. Moreover, feedback from peers, which is also an essential element of open pedagogy, contributes to deeper reflective practices, as thoughts are more informed and less biased (Hegarty 10).
  8. Peer Review – Online communities revolve around the feedback of the community of learners, as opinions and thoughts are expressed more openly. This leads to social participatory methods, which encourage the continuous cycle of feedback (Hegarty 10). This is another aspect of learning that is not always readily available in traditional educational settings.

Examples of Open Education Practices

Open education may be quite daunting, especially since it is a rather new concept. Moreover, the eight attributes of open education may cause individuals to feel as if it requires numerous responsibilities and that the standard set for effective open pedagogy is too high. While this is true to a certain extent, there are also several real-life examples that prove that open pedagogy is achievable.

  1. Wikipedia Assignments – It is acknowledged that although Wikipedia contains a lot of information, the quality of the information is not always great. The Wiki Education Foundation enables educators to improve their students’ digital literacies while increasing the accuracy and quality of Wikipedia articles (DeRosa and Robinson 118). In such projects, students are required to edit a Wikipedia article for it to gain a “Good Article” status. This way, students are not only learning about various topics, but they are also ensuring that the information received by the public through Wikipedia is more accurate.
  2. Classroom Created Syllabus – DeRosa endeavored to practice open pedagogy in one of her classes (120). Instead of providing the syllabus for the class to follow, she asked her class to create a syllabus of their own, depending on what they wanted to learn. Moreover, they established that learning mediums would be online, requiring students to submit any graded work through their own websites. These websites would be built and maintained by the students themselves.
  3. Video Creation – Through the Noba Project, students are invited to create their own educational videos (DeRosa and Robinson 119). Videos produced by this project are then given a creative commons license, tagging them free for public use. Students are then able to exercise their creativity while contributing to the global learner community.

Benefits and Challenges of Open Pedagogy

Although there are other elements of open pedagogy, I argue that access and equity are the most fundamental. Without these qualities, the value of open pedagogy can be questioned. In addition, the main goal of open pedagogical practices should be increased access and equity for all students. These first two elements take primary importance. Hence, the benefits and challenges of open pedagogy are dependent upon the fulfilment of these two elements.

The benefits of open pedagogy are evident from the principles shared above. However, one of its most prominent benefits is that is makes education accessible to all. Regardless of where an individual is in the world, he/she is able to learn through the various materials found online. Most online materials are not as expensive as physical educational resources. Moreover, choices of materials are vast, making it easier for students to choose which one may work best for them. Another aspect of accessibility that can be considered a benefit of open education is that materials are easily shared. Due to the internet, resources can be shared with a single link or click. This is a sharp contrast to physical materials, which may need to be borrowed from a library or shipped abroad.

Of course, the fact that open pedagogy is learner-centered is also one of its most positive results. A learner centered approach to education is one that acknowledges the difference in learning speeds and preferences of each student. Hence, a student is not forced into one style of learning, but is given the freedom to choose what works best for him/her. This naturally results in more effective and lifelong learning. Moreover, open pedagogy encourages the formation of community. This is also a learner-centered practice, as learners are not only dependent on the teacher’s knowledge, but also on other learners’ opinions.

Open pedagogy, as mentioned earlier, is not without challenges. One of the challenges of open pedagogy is the heavy responsibility it gives to learners, particularly young students (Kop et al 75). Since it is a learner centered pedagogy, learners are responsible for the gathering of information, the validation of knowledge, and the proper usage and sharing of principles. The internet is not a simple machine, but one that is complex. Hence, if students are not supervised by a more capable teacher, the complexity of the internet and its processes may further complicate learning.

Another challenge of open education is privacy. Since students are no required to log on to multiple education platforms, the sharing of personal information is also necessary. Hence, there might be some risks when it comes to the use and sharing of resources, especially when it involves highly sensitive information (e.g. photos, full names, etc.).

Furthermore, one can even consider the economical aspect as a challenge to open pedagogy. Although open pedagogy is able to increase accessibility to students who cannot afford it otherwise, it still creates a divide between those who can purchase technological resources. Some people who argue for open pedagogy claim that it limits this divide, however, even digital textbooks can cause a lot of money. Hence, when one considers the financial aspect of open pedagogy, several challenges still remain.

Summary and Recommendations

Open pedagogy has numerous benefits. It makes education more accessible to anyone in the world and it is mainly learner-centered. However, it also has challenges, in that it may be difficult for some students to navigate some educational platforms, and it may present some threats to privacy. However, in my opinion, the benefits far outweigh the challenges. Moreover, the challenges are mostly technical, and can be addressed with the establishment of policies and the education of students when it comes to online privacy and internet usage.

Open pedagogy is an exciting feat. It is a step further into the progression of education. As it is practiced more and more throughout the globe, the entire approach and pedagogy of learning will definitely transform into one that is more positive, inclusive, community-oriented, and effective.

Before I end, I would like to give a short reflection on Learning Pods, which is actually another example of open pedagogy. I found that through learning pods, I was able to learn from other people, and exchange ideas as well. For me, this was a fun experience, as it contributed to my understanding of the course and also provided me with other insights I would have otherwise not thought about.

 

Works Cited:

DeRosa, R and Robison S. “From OER to Open Pedagogy: Harnessing the Power of Open.” Open: The Philosophy and Practices that are Revolutionizing Education and Science. Jhangiani, R S and Biswas-Diener, R. London: Ubiquity Press, 2017, pp. 115–124.

Hegarty, Bronwyn. “Attributes of Open Pedagogy: A Model for Using Open Educational Resources.” Educational Technology, vol. 55, no. 4, 2015, pp. 3 – 13.

Kop, Rita, et al. “A Pedagogy of Abundance or a Pedagogy to Support Human Beings? Participant Support on Massive Open Online Courses.” The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, vol. 12, no. 7, 2011, pp. 74 – 93.

Thorpe, Mary. “Educational Technology: Does Pedagogy Still Matter?” Educational Technology, vol. 52, no. 2, 2012, pp. 10 – 14.