Turning to the community: my open learning journey

Image attribution: CC0 James Sutton via www.unsplash.com

This blog details my learning journey for the Education and Digital Cultures module 2017, as part of the Digital Education MSc at the University of Edinburgh. As the final assignment for the module I am going to put this open learning journey on trial* to examine the benefits and drawbacks of being open. The link has been submitted officially via the institution VLE and I am turning it over to you, the open community for critique and comment. In some ways I am putting ‘community’ on trial as much as ‘open’.

This assignment was inspired by OER17 The Politics of Open. Despite being unable to attend the conference I read all of the blogs posts arising from and found it really resonated with me being able to look through the lens of an open learner, rather than previously through the lens of a ‘frustrated’ open practitioner.

I have presented my case with supporting evidence, witness contributions and expert opinions. Considering all of this I have made a verdict and am now opening it for comments. Therefore, your comments:

WILL NOT affect my judgement that was submitted for assignment purposes

MIGHT affect the final mark or the feedback from my tutors, that decision is entirely theirs

WILL potentially have greatest impact on my future professional practice as an educational technologist and may even open new conversations/connections.

Of course, the absence of any engagement with the assignment will in itself be evidence in the trial of open learning.

Before going to the trial I want to provide a short background to provide context. I primarily chose this module to push me outside my comfort zone. The three blocks of Cyberculture, Community Culture and Algorithmic Culture were each structured around readings and group/individual tasks and the majority of the content was totally new to me. However, the bulk of the content and learning was to be built entirely by each of us in a personal blog area. This content was ‘fed’ into our blog daily via IFTTT. All information about the module is available openly on the website, including the handbook, assessment details, tutors and links to each student blog.

* Disclaimer: any errors surrounding the courtroom metaphor are entirely mine and poetic licence abounds

Go to trial >

4 Replies to “Turning to the community: my open learning journey”

  1. Thank you, Clare. I found this quite interesting and created in a way familiar to me, as a former law enforcement officer. I agreed with many of your points, both for and against. Again, thank you for something very thoughtfully presented.

  2. This has GOT to be the most FUN assignment i have ever seen, and it is still a GREAT literature review of different aspects and opinions on open. I am sharing it widely and considering adopting it for my class next semester!

    To offer more critical feedback, I would suggest the following
    A. Let us into the minds of the jury a bit more. Not just a few quotes but maybe pretend to be an additional jury member challenging or asking questions?
    B. Let us into the mind of the judge. Why did she decide that final verdict? What was most compelling?
    C. I am slightly confused as to the difference specifically between Selwyn/Weller angles on this, or how you grouped the different quotes into one side or another. I’m not sure why it’s unclear to me, because even though I liked most of what you included, i didn’t see the witnesses as being homogeneous (which is expected) or trying to argue a particular side (which i assume is expected? I wasn’t sure)
    D. How do you define “beneficial”? 🙂

    Thanks so much again! So gratified our hangout helped with this!

  3. I echo Maha’s compliments on the brilliance of the approach. Extending the metaphor more, what is or when is the sentencing? Was this case played out in public or behind closed doors?

    I do push back on Maha’s assertion about domain ownership based on material / property ownership. The Virginia Woolf metaphor it leans in never implied she materially owned her room but that she controlled it. We also “rent” but do not own our electricity, water, and internet we rely on.

    Will the court review this case again if someone appeals

    I love what you did here so if the markers are reading note my respect for this work.

  4. Well done Claire. What a great example of many aspects open education (learning, practice, pedagogy) in action. Thank you for having the confidence to share your work openly. I particularly liked your appreciation of the open learner lens.

    Like Alan, I agree with Maha’s comments about grouping of the quotes, and the decision making process. However your approach was engaging, critical and reflective and I suspect will be cited a lot – I wonder if this had been a group activity of the verdict would have been the same?

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