1.) Summary of the information shared in the session:

In the session hosted by Bryan Alexander, he has a discussion with David Wiley that focuses on Open Education Resources. Throughout the session, Wiley addresses the various aspects of open learning and his Lumen One project; a project that aims to erase the influence of students’ race and income on their academic success in US general education courses. As part of the discussion, Wiley addressed how most available content still adheres to traditional formats like PDFs and HTML, questioning the progress of education innovation and the extent to which personalized and/or adaptive platforms are being integrated into OER. Wiley then discusses the challenges in improving student learning outcomes and elaborates more on tailoring content for underperforming students to help them be better engaged and be motivated. The topic of base models versus interactive models in education eventually arose, with base models serving as foundational frameworks while interactive models being fine-tuned for specific educational objectives; with Wiley adding onto how this would empower underperforming students without shifting a performance gap. The discussion then focused on the wider implications of OERs, emphasizing that their adoption should not be solely celebrated for affordability but must also be assessed based on their impact on student learning.

  • The discussion essentially covers OER adoption, challenges in creating effective OERs, interventions to improve student outcomes, the digital divide, and the need for a culture of validation and curiosity in education.

2a.) Reflection on the difference between OER-enabled Education and Open Pedagogy:

OER-enabled education provides free and accessible materials, reducing learning costs. Open Pedagogy, however, involves actively involving students in creating and adapting learning materials; promoting a sense of collaboration, critical thinking, and engagement.

  • Although OER-enabled Education enables affordable and accessible education, Open Pedagogy prioritizes student-centred and student-led learning.

2b.) 2 interesting points from the discussion:

  • An interesting point from the discussion was the challenge of balancing access and quality when providing free OERs, tools, and platforms to enhance learning experiences; as it is rather hard to find the right balance between affordability and quality to ensure an OER’s effectiveness.
  • Another interesting point during the discussion was involving underperforming students in creating course materials, as it also does relate to the principles of Open Pedagogy; with the idea being very inclusive and empowering students with a role to shape their own education.

Short-self-reflection:

I chose this activity because of my interest in Open Education Resources (OERs) rather than Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). I find that OERs have more potential in providing students with a cost-effective and inclusive solution for learning. This activity aligned with my learning goals as it helped me understand how OERs can democratize learning. Through this critical review of the experience, I learned more about the dynamics between affordability and quality, the potency of student-centred pedagogies, and the profound implications of open education in reshaping educational paradigms. At the end of the session, I gained a deeper understanding of OERs and contemplated how to implement them in a thoughtful and impactful way.