This has been quite an interesting topic for me. My background has been purely biomedical/public health research and only recently have I gotten into teaching. When the question how open I am arises, I think to myself as a very open person (socially) but as a researcher I may not be as open as regards the depth of information that may be shared across research networks. Publications(which are not necessarily in open access journals), briefs, scientific conferences have been the key pointers reflecting my openness and sharing. Rather quite structured and with some caveats I must say. This lesson has brought forth several new concepts/perspectives to education openness and sharing.

The culture/practice of Open education is key in adapting this form of education. The mind is a very powerful tool hence a shift in mindset is key in adapting new concepts in education in the digital space.(this beautifully connects topic 1 on digital literacy). Kenya, my home country in Africa is slowly but steadily adapting this concept of Open education. It provides accessibility to a wealth of educational material/resources/repositories. This is a great milestone. It further promotes collaborations across networks/platforms hence Open Networked Learning.

Relevant knowledge on the platforms for sharing is critical as several individuals/institutions are keen to share but do not know how to and possibly also to help them understand the challenges. It would be a great learning opportunity for many.