<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="country-region"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PostalCode"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="Street"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="address"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceType"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceName"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"/>
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:Arial;
color:windowtext;}
@page Section1
{size:595.3pt 841.9pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Hi<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>I’m
working on a mini-research project entitled “E-learning in ‘open
source’ education: exploratory study’” (as part of a short course
at University College London).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
idea is that the “open source” way of working (used to develop software
e.g. Linux) can also be useful as an approach in education. So I’m
reviewing various education initiatives, like some addressed in this email,
that have elements of an open source approach to education. I’m basically
documenting the pedagogies, open source elements and uses of e-learning. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>It’s
very much work in progress, but I wanted to make initial contact. I’ve also
had to do a draft abstract for my class a bit early in the research (reproduced
below for further info), but there will be a full spreadsheet review and report
later which I’ll release more generally e.g. to some of the other mailing
lists. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>In
doing this review I’m also hoping to promote different approaches and
contribute to dialogue. There will be an open invitation workshop/focus group
in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">London</st1:City>, <st1:country-region
w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region></st1:place>, probably during May ‘08, to
identify ideas for teaching and learning generally.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Any
thoughts or comments are welcome. Also, if any websites have not explicitly
stated they are copyleft or similar, and ‘website owners’ would
like me to use logos and images in presentations, let me know.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Compliments
on all the good work going on and I hope to meet some of you in due course.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Brent
Cunningham</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Learning
Technology Officer<br>
Nursing & Midwifery<br>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Kings</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">College</st1:PlaceType>
<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City><br>
Rm 2.31 <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">James</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Clerk</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Maxwell</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Building</st1:PlaceName></st1:place><br>
<st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">57 Waterloo Road</st1:address></st1:Street><br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">London</st1:City>, <st1:PostalCode
w:st="on">SE1 8WA</st1:PostalCode></st1:place><br>
0207 848 3916 <br>
</span></font><a href="mailto:brent.cunningham@kcl.ac.uk"><font size=2><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>brent.cunningham@kcl.ac.uk</span></font></a><font
size=2><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><br>
</span></font><a href="http://www.kcl.ac.uk/clinicalskills"><font size=2><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>http://www.kcl.ac.uk/clinicalskills</span></font></a><font
size=2><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><br>
</span></font><a href="http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ipe/swipe.html"><font size=2><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ipe/swipe.html</span></font></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
draft abstract follows:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>This
study reviews a range of post-secondary education initiatives broadly within
the radical / critical tradition that exhibit an open source approach to
education, analysing their pedagogies, open source elements and uses of
e-learning. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>The
open source idea is very successful in software development where there is a
peer-production process of community-owned 'open source' software. The
potential of this approach for education has been indicated (Staring et al,
2005; Dillon & Bacon, 2006) and this study is a qualitative review of
education initiatives that embody this approach, leading to a focus group
asking what can be learnt from these ideas. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Radical
pedagogy is a broad term related to alternative educational approaches
including critical pedagogy and popular education, and educational concepts
like collaborative and constructivist learning. History and influences range
through Foucault, socialism, Freire, de-schooling and anarchism to traveller
culture. Major themes are non-alignment, critique of power, non-hierarchical
self-organisation, political activism and critical consciousness (Smith 1996;
Wright 1989 and others). <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>The
research is evaluating the open source approach as a significant concept in
education thinking and identifying pedagogical and e-learning ideas or
techniques from such approaches that can be valuable for teaching and learning.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>The
initial method is a qualitative literature and internet review of about 20
English-language initiatives with open source elements found by searching
within radical pedagogy and related arenas. The pedagogical philosophies and
practices are analysed into major themes and e-learning uses catalogued.
Pedagogical themes are further analysed to identify open source elements. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>The
review has sensed a certain dynamic 'fluidity' evident in, for example varying
levels of activity, and also explicit in many of the practices and
philosophies. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>The
pedagogies are typically politicised and often broadly anti-capitalist, working
for critical consciousness and social change. Other emphases include knowledge
as social, collaborative learning, lifelong and informal learning,
learner-directedness, learning through practice, independent thinking and
connecting with the local community. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>There
are strong open source elements often implicit rather than explicit, but
directly referred to by some, and repeated emphasis on the collective
production and free exchange of knowledge with many calls for participation. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'> There
is general use of IT, wiki technology is popular for e-learning, and discussion
boards, community blogs and mailing lists. Many have document repositories,
often taking submissions. Others include chat, skill sharing forums, video and
radio. Some publish journals or newsletters and there are many real-world
events. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>There
will be an open invitation focus group where this review is presented and some
examples used. We will discuss pedagogical and e-learning ideas and techniques
from these that can be worthwhile for teaching and learning and produce
summaries of the main points for further analysis. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'> This
investigation has successfully identified the use of open source type
pedagogies in a tradition of education initiatives and reviewed the e-learning
technologies used. The 'teacher' concept can still be felt, perhaps as a
"facilitator" role that participants fulfil. This is work in progress
and further dialogue, research and evaluations regarding these ideas will be
worthwhile</span></font>.<font face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-family:
"Times New Roman"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'> Selected
references <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Dillon,
T., Bacon, S., 2006. Opening education. The potential of open source approaches
for education. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Bristol</st1:City></st1:place>:
www.futurelab.org. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>McGettigan
, T. 1999.What is Radical Pedagogy? Radical Pedagogy (1999). <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>: ICAAP.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Smith,
M. K., 1996. ideas. key concepts and theories in informal education, lifelong
learning and social action. http://www.infed.org/ideas/index.htm. [Accessed
02-03-2008]. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Staring,
K., Titlestad, O. & Gailis, J., 2005. Educational transformation through
open source approaches. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Norway</st1:place></st1:country-region>:
Information Systems Research Seminar. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Wright,
N., 1989. Assessing radical education. Milton Keynes/Philadelphia: Open
University Press. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>These
are the projects I’ve looked at in some detail so far:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Autonomous</span></font></st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lancaster</st1:City></st1:place> www.knowledgelab.org.uk/AUL<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Copenhagen
Free University www.copenhagenfreeuniversity.dk<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>exco|experimentalcollege www.excotc.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Free
Floating Faculty www.kristinask.net/Freefloatingfaculty.html<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Free <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> www.freeuniversityla.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Highlander
Research and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Education</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> www.highlandercenter.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
Independent Art School www.independent-art-school.org.uk<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>manoa
free university www.manoafreeuniversity.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>MeineAkademie
www.meineakademie.tk<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Minciu
Sodas www.ms.lt<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>mobilised
investigation http://manifestor.org/mi<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>New
University Coop www.newuniversity.ca<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Olympia</span></font></st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Community</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Free</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">School</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> http://oly-wa.us/freeschool<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Pirate</span></font></st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> www.pirate-university.org<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>RAD.
EDU http://radical.temp.si<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Seattle</span></font></st1:place></st1:City>
free school http://seattlefreeschool.googlepages.com<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Toronto
Anarchist Free University http://anarchistu.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
Travelling School of Life www.tsolife.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on"><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>University</span></font></st1:PlaceType>
of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Openess</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> http://uo.twenteenthcentury.com<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Vidya
Ashram www.vidyaashram.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Wikiversity http://en.wikiversity.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Background
presentation: <a
href="http://www.slideshare.net/thebrentc/elearning-in-open-source-education">http://www.slideshare.net/thebrentc/elearning-in-open-source-education</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>