Here we go again. Before writing my text about Topic 2 I watched again the videos suggested in the resources, trying to decide what I was up to talk about. This blogging thing continue not being my coup of tea… Let’s hope for the best! =)

First, I thought to write about Creative Commons, a new world to me. And no, this was not what I was willing to talk, although I add in my references below an interesting paper about Intellectual Property and e-Learning (Donohue, B., Howe-Steiger, L., 2007).

Then, MOOCs crossed my mind. Before ONL192 I knew some MOOCs platforms, like Coursera and EduK. I started to think about how is it to develop an online course. Manallack and Yuriev (2016) published a very interesting guide with 10 steps to develop a MOOC.  Something to keep in mind for the future.

I read some Topic 2 works from other groups. It is so interesting how the same scenario could be interpreted in many different ways, either related about chosen platforms or subject development. I want to highlight PBL group 3 work. They created a very useful Source Critique Guide to evaluate the online content (link below). Really nice work!

Following, I also read some blogs about Topic 2 to help me with my own post and think about the reflections questions suggested. Eugene Macalinga wrote about being openness in one way only (link below). I realize that I am also in this road. I am glad and willing to learn from diverse online resources, but not to share my own materials online. Thinking about that I guess it is a mix of lack of time, fear to shear and be part of a system where this is not a common culture.

Plus, thinking about the David Wiley concept that teaching is sharing, I came back to a discussion we had in one of my PBL group meetings about technological infrastructure in different backgrounds: even if I want to be openness, i.e., share my piece in a digital way to reach more students and facilitate their learn, am I aloud to be? Not allowed in the sense of consent, but if my students will get access to this content if I use this online approach. Lots of IFs, I know. The Brazil’s reality about being digital is not the ideal one. This is a struggle that I find myself during my classes. Many of the students don’t have a good notebook or a good mobile phone available and/or a good Wi-Fi connection. Most of the times they do have mobile phones, but not with a broadband data or Wi-Fi connection at home. How to use the openness in ed tech without tech? Of course, to be openness is not limited to be online, but for sure, being online enable us to learn in a broadly way! So, in this matter I find myself in a subject called Digital Divide. We all know that it exists, but the implications about this in education opportunities is something I just started to think recently. I am still in the top of the iceberg, but I already found some very interesting discussions about the issue, and I would like to share in this post a quote of Andy Lane (2009) regarding Openness and Digital Divide:

“Openness as a philosophy is also important but something being freely available (e.g., open access, open educational resources, etc.) is insufficient to enable many people to successfully engage with a more open educational provision. This article has also argued that it is how that openness is instantiated or structured to meet the particular needs of excluded groups that makes the difference, with mediation between the various actors in the teachers’ and learners’ contexts (that is third parties who support either or both) being a necessary element.”

Ok, I drop my case for now. Time to think…

Just to finish, once we were in the Reflection Week, this course keeps being intense and so very much worthwhile! Thanks to all the organizers, my facilitators and my PBL group.  And a special thanks to my dear friend Daniele, who invites me to do the course.

See you later!

References:

Donohue, B. C.; Howe-Steiger, L. (2007), Understanding the Issues of Intellectual Property in the Creation of e-Learning Courseware. J. Vet. Med. Educ., Summer; 34(3):269-78.

Manallack DT, Yuriev E (2016) Ten Simple Rules for Developing a MOOC. PLoS Comput Biol 12(10): e1005061. doi:10.1371/ journal.pcbi.1005061

PBL Group 3 Topic 2 work. https://padlet.com/kelmaroon/6jxorniinmo5

Eugene Macalinga (https://fooddiplomacy703339255.wordpress.com/2019/11/03/am-i-really-ready-for-open-learning/)

Open education and the future, Short TED-talk by David Wiley

Lane, A. (2009) The Impact of Openness on Bridging Educational Digital Divides. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. Volume 10, Number 5