Commons-based Cases in EM

Research Questions

• Commons based cases (the cases that we know will appear in the right part of the quadrants)
  • Identify cases
  • Correlate them with their main outputs (Data. Narratives. Tools)
  • How and in what extent they are “experimenting” or “adopting” commons-based approach? Are there sustainability issues?
  • Identify these cases and treat them as entities that will also be placed in our mapping device (the quadrants)
  • Identify what actors are participating on this and what actors are just observers (Use the questionnaire to guide your research when appropriate - Carol will select specific relevant and helpful questions)

OER

Definition

"The development of the information society and the widespread diffusion of information technology give rise to new opportunities for learning. At the same time, they challenge established views and practices regarding how teaching and learning should be organised and carried out. Higher educational institutions have been using the Internet and other digital technologies to develop and distribute education for several years. Yet, until recently, much of the learning materials were locked up behind passwords within proprietary systems, unreachable for outsiders. The open educational resource (OER) movement aims to break down such barriers and to encourage and enable freely sharing content." (OECD - Giving Knowledge for Free)

Signatories to the Berlin Declaration state that “the Internet has fundamentally changed the practical and economic realities of distributing scientific knowledge and cultural heritage. For the first time ever, the Internet now offers the chance to constitute a global and interactive representation of human knowledge, including cultural heritage and the guarantee of worldwide access.”

An apparently extraordinary trend is emerging. Although learning resources are often considered as key intellectual property in a competitive higher education world, more and more institutions and individuals are sharing digital learning resources over the Internet openly and without cost, as open educational resources (OER).

The definition of OER currently most often used is “digitised materials offered freely and openly for educators, students and self-learners to use and reuse for teaching, learning and research”. OER includes learning content, software tools to develop, use and distribute content, and implementation resources such as open licences.

Cases

Connexions

http://cnx.org/

• History and Overview of Connexions
  • In 1994, Burrus and other founders published a low-cost book of exercises/problems in digital signal processing for Matlab. Teachers/students could select problems that were interesting or useful for specific learning needs. This was offered early evidence of the potential for a "flexible, modular" approach to EM. (Burrus 2007, 20)
  • In 1999, Richard Baraniuk approached Burrus with idea to write electrical engineering text addressing the disparate but relevant issues math, design, applications, law, and business. Burrus challenged Baraniuk to "design a completely new teaching tool using modern computer and information technology"--what would become Connexions. (Burrus 2007, 20)
  • Historical moment coincided with XML popularization and Web 2.0 technologies, as well as the "new legal vision [...] to give an educational version of Larry Lessig's Creative Commons", inspired by Richard Stallman and Eric Raymond in open-source software. (Burrus 2007, 21)
    • "This environment not only supports but encourages a deeper level of collaboration than that of the multiply authored book or curriculum."
  • Three parts to system (Burrus 2007, 21):
    1. Information organized in small, linkable, searchable modules using XML
    2. Web tools/interface to "help create, maintain, share, and use" modules
    3. Community that develops and uses tools and modules
  • "The system has been used in many traditional courses over the past several years as a primary text or supplementary document. It is now being used to supply the only text book for the introductory electrical engineering course at Rice, where a 300-page book written by Prof. Don Johnson can be purchased online through Connexions from QOOP for $20." (Burrus 2007, 22)
• Main Outputs: narratives, tools (as modularized EM such as suggested by Benkler (2005, 7))
  • "Connexions boasts over 4000 modules, more than 220 courses or books, approximately 550,000 users (96% non Rice University), 2000 author accounts, and approximately 200,000 hits per day from 198 countries." (Burrus 2007, 21)
  • "It is now being used to supply the only text book for the introductory electrical engineering course at Rice, where a 300-page book written by Prof. Don Johnson can be purchased online through Connexions from QOOP for $20." (Burrus 2007, 22)
  • Tools: with National Instruments, "interactive applets for embedded demos and labs" (Burrus 2007, 22)
• Extent of Commons-based Approach
• Adoption of OA Policies
  • "The use of Connexions is free to anyone who has Internet access. The cost to develop Connexions is being paid by generous individuals, institutions, and foundations." ("FAQ" n.d.)
  • Self-identify as "OER" ("FAQ" n.d.)
• Adoption of Socially Responsible Licenses
  • Uses Creative Commons Attribution license ("FAQ" n.d.)
    • Supported by the Site User Agreement
• Quadrant Mapping
• Participating Actors
  • Rice University
  • William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (funding)
  • Teachers without Borders
  • UNESCO
  • QOOP (on-demand printing)
  • National Instruments
• Observing Actors

Supercool School

http://www.supercoolschool.com/

• Main Outputs: narratives, tools
  • Narratives: user-contributed multimedia teaching materials for self-started classes
  • Tools: Facebook App to facilitate requests for classes and teaching platform (see Video)
• Adoption of OA Policies (?)

World University and School

http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/World_University

• JUST STARTED
• Main Outputs: narratives, tools
  • Narratives: Various course materials in the form of syllabi, coursework, videos
  • Tools: Virtual university (courses potentially hosted in Second Life)
• Extent of Commons-based Approach
• Adoption of OA Policies
  • Completely open and free access to "courses"
  • Aspires to be degree granting
• Adoption of Socially Responsible Licenses
  • Wikia uses GFDL
• Quadrant Mapping
• Participating Actors
  • Scott MacLeod
  • Founder, main contact
    • Taught "Society and Information Technology" (http://socinfotech.pbwiki.com) on Berkman Island in Second Life (fall, spring and summer of 2007-2008)
• Observing Actors

Possible Cases

• H2O Playlists

  "H2O playlists are more than just a cool, sleek technology -- they represent a new way of thinking about education online. An H2O Playlist is a series of links to books, articles, and other materials that collectively explore an idea or set the stage for a course, discussion, or current event." (About H2O)

• italki.com

  'A place where you can find people and resources to help you learn a language.'

• Open Text Book

  A community-managed subversion repository for in-progress open textbooks run by the Open Knowledge Foundation.

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