[Wikiversity-l] Research project: E-learning in 'open source' education: exploratory study

-- Brent Cunningham brent.cunningham@kcl.ac.uk Hi 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). 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. 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. 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 London, UK, probably during May '08, to identify ideas for teaching and learning generally. 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. Compliments on all the good work going on and I hope to meet some of you in due course. Brent Cunningham Learning Technology Officer Nursing & Midwifery Kings College London Rm 2.31 James Clerk Maxwell Building 57 Waterloo Road London, SE1 8WA 0207 848 3916 mailto:brent.cunningham@kcl.ac.uk brent.cunningham@kcl.ac.uk http://www.kcl.ac.uk/clinicalskills http://www.kcl.ac.uk/clinicalskills http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ipe/swipe.html http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ipe/swipe.html The draft abstract follows: 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. 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. 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). 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Selected references Dillon, T., Bacon, S., 2006. Opening education. The potential of open source approaches for education. Bristol: www.futurelab.org. McGettigan , T. 1999.What is Radical Pedagogy? Radical Pedagogy (1999). Canada: ICAAP. 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]. Staring, K., Titlestad, O. & Gailis, J., 2005. Educational transformation through open source approaches. Norway: Information Systems Research Seminar. Wright, N., 1989. Assessing radical education. Milton Keynes/Philadelphia: Open University Press. These are the projects I've looked at in some detail so far: Autonomous University of Lancaster www.knowledgelab.org.uk/AUL Copenhagen Free University www.copenhagenfreeuniversity.dk exco|experimentalcollege www.excotc.org Free Floating Faculty www.kristinask.net/Freefloatingfaculty.html Free University of Los Angeles www.freeuniversityla.org Highlander Research and Education Center www.highlandercenter.org The Independent Art School www.independent-art-school.org.uk manoa free university www.manoafreeuniversity.org MeineAkademie www.meineakademie.tk Minciu Sodas www.ms.lt mobilised investigation http://manifestor.org/mi New University Coop www.newuniversity.ca Olympia Community Free School http://oly-wa.us/freeschool Pirate University www.pirate-university.org RAD. EDU http://radical.temp.si Seattle free school http://seattlefreeschool.googlepages.com Toronto Anarchist Free University http://anarchistu.org The Travelling School of Life www.tsolife.org University of Openess http://uo.twenteenthcentury.com Vidya Ashram www.vidyaashram.org Wikiversity http://en.wikiversity.org Background presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/thebrentc/elearning-in-open-source-education