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

Wed Mar 19 09:22:12 UTC 2008

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 at kcl.ac.uk> brent.cunningham at 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

----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
Brent Cunningham
brent.cunningham at kcl.ac.uk
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