[Open-education] Is there still an OER movement?

Fri Aug 22 12:10:23 UTC 2014

My response to this thread, cross posted from oer-disucss....

I kind of agree with Joe.  I am guilty of using the term "OER movement" but I'd be hard pressed to explain what it actually means.      Actually now I come to think of it, I suspect I'd be more inclined to use the term "open education movement".  

Mick asked:

> Is the movement moving a bit less nowadays? If so, why?
> What makes it a movement compared to, say, a favoured funding track of certain Foundations?
> Are members of the movement moving else? If so, where? To other movements?

If there is such a thing as a movement I think it has changed.  I don't know if people are moving less but I think they are moving in different ways.  I think we're starting to see open education research and development funding being increasingly concentrated on a small  number of large open education providers and research units.  There's undoubtedly creative innovation still going on at the grass roots level, but I wonder if these kinds of initiatives are tailing off as funding is reduced and pressure increased?   I can't help thinking back to the heady days of the UKOER programme where there was (funded) OER and open education development going on in many different institutions.  

Also I'm not going to mention the dreaded "M" word but I think commercial "open" online courses did rather take the wind out of the OER movement's sails and changed the discourse around openness.  

Having said all that, as Joe pointed out there's all kinds of open education  practice going on outwith the formal education sector, so perhaps that's where the open education movement has moved to now! 

Cheers
Lorna

On 22 Aug 2014, at 12:34, Mick FM wrote:

> 
> Forwarding this from oer-discuss - apologies if you are on both lists.  
> 
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
> Subject:	Re: FW: [Open-education] Is there still an OER movement?
> Date:	Fri, 22 Aug 2014 12:07:40 +0100
> From:	Joe Wilson <Joe.Wilson at SQA.ORG.UK>
> Reply-To:	Open Educational Resources <OER-DISCUSS at JISCMAIL.AC.UK>
> To:	OER-DISCUSS at JISCMAIL.AC.UK
> 
> yup we are still moving but not sure that makes a movement.
> 
> Open source , open data , open educational resources  all part of this and folks and even corporations get involved for very different ideological reasons 
> 
> I think look for parallels in other forms of open practice and I think open education and open educational resources are pretty much thriving 
> 
> Know why my organisation is interested - all about opening up access and improving the quality of opportunities for learning 
> On a personal note it is about empowering teachers and learners .
> Learning is essentially all about sharing knowledge and developing skills and competences around this 
>  
> Have a look at what dishwasher repair men now share on youtube . They are doing OER but would not know term .
> 
> 
> 
> Joe Wilson
> Head of New Ventures
> Scottish Qualifications Authority
> Tel 0845 213  5389
> Mobile 07834 843011
> 
> Twitter  www.twitter.com/joecar
>  
> #OER14  http://oer14.org/
> 
> The Optima Building ,
> 58 Robertson Street , Glasgow ,G2 8DQ
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From:        David Kernohan <d.kernohan at JISC.AC.UK>
> To:        OER-DISCUSS at JISCMAIL.AC.UK
> Date:        22/08/2014 09:33
> Subject:        FW: [Open-education] Is there still an OER movement?
> Sent by:        Open Educational Resources <OER-DISCUSS at JISCMAIL.AC.UK>
> 
> 
> 
> Cross posted this question from the OKF list - would be interested in responses from you lot :-)
> 
> -
> David Kernohan
> Jisc
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-- Lorna M Campbell --
Assistant Director, Cetis
Web: www.cetis.ac.uk
Blog: lornamcampbell.wordpress.com
Mail: lorna.m.campbell at icloud.com
Twitter: LornaMCampbell
Skype: lorna120768

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