Category: Course Name/EDCI 339

Open pedagogy is a theory that puts learning in the hands of the students themselves. In this approach, students develop their own learning strategies by helping themselves and others, as well as applying them to the real world. It differs from traditional learning, where the educator relays information while the student passively receives it.

Advantages of open pedagogy:

• Personalized learning: As students are their own agency, they’ll be able to develop and learn what’s best for their needs

• Sharing: Sharing knowledge will minimize the capitalistic agenda that prioritizes funding over valuable information, access and retention

• Deconstructing traditional power structures: Unlike the educators, the students will have a say on what works best for them. With this, students who did not have a voice will be able to have their own opinion

(Open Pedagogy | KPU.ca – Kwantlen Polytechnic University, n.d.)

Role and Impact of Open Educational Resources (OER)

OER is highly impactful, as it allows accessibility for free educational resources for students across the globe. This website provides a long list of all the advantages of OER.

Main advantages of OER

• Continuous content improvement: Unlike a hard-printed textbook, OER can be edited whenever there is any new information available

• Wide accessibility: Students can be anywhere geographically, and will still be able to access the information

• Distribution: Educators will be able to distribute the information to a lot of students with little to no cost

Depending on location and affordability, updated information and advancements in certain fields are not accessible to students worldwide. With OER, students from diverse backgrounds can access this information, giving them a fairer chance to improve their education like everyone else.

Impactful Global Trends in OER:

International Collaboration:

Educators worldwide are advocating for OER as a learning tool for students. Due to this, it will bridge the gap of educational differences among different backgrounds and communities. Despite the growing recognition of OER, this article showed that there is an inequality with OER among different countries. They’ve found that the OER quality is better in countries that have supportive national funding.

Inclusivity: Some OER encourages the use of open pedagogy. Students will be able to adjust the language, content and different revision models that best works for them.

Challenges of OER

• Language and cultural biases: Currently, most OER materials are available in English only. Due to this, it poses challenges to those who are restricted by language

• Sustainability issues: As OER is free of cost, creators may not be motivated to update their information, or keep it free of cost due to little incentive.

(UMGC Library: Open Educational Resources: Pros and Cons, n.d.)

Understanding Creative Commons Licensing:

Advocating for open licensing is highly beneficial in OER. It allows access and sharing of educational resources legally.

Here is shortened list of Creative Commons’ licenses:

CC BY

CC BY-ND

CC BY-SA

For help selecting the right license for you, you can visit this link: https://chooser-beta.creativecommons.org/#

Why it’s beneficial to understand Creative Commons Licensing

• It allows for easy identification of how the website can be used legally
• Let’s you know whether the information can be shared or manipulated
• Let’s you know which information can be accessed for free
• Shows respect to the creator of the educational resource

Here are some examples of how I would apply the license:

I can create an educational resource with inclusive lesson plans. I would apply the CC BY-SA license. This way, others will be able to adapt or manipulate the information to best suit their needs. They’ll also be able to share it.

I can also publish my own research paper on a particular topic. Because I would not want others to manipulate my data, I would apply the CC BY-ND license. People will be allowed to share the data, and give credit to me.

Attributes of Open Pedagogy:

If I were to create a rich learning environment, open pedagogy would be highly valued. I would foster a collaborative environment by involving students in creating the lesson plan. They would be given clear guidelines on what is expected in a fair manner. Students would be provided with flexible assessments, and their feedback would be used to improve learning models. As students are given the opportunity to actively take part in lesson planning, it will allow for a more personalized approach to delivering information. With this, students will be more motivated and empowered to learn in their own way

References

About CC Licenses – Creative Commons. (2023b, September 28). Creative Commons. https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/cclicenses/

UMGC Library: Open Educational Resources: Pros and Cons. (n.d.). https://libguides.umgc.edu/c.php?g=23404&p=138771#s-lg-box-402474

This is the concept of implementing flexible learning that accommodates a wide range of learning styles by providing diverse and accessible options for students across different spectrums

It has 3 main principles:

• Engagement – How students interact with information

• Representation – Ways of how the information is presented

• Action and Expression – How students show what they’ve learnt

Application of UDL in online and in-person classrooms

Please visit these links for more information on how UDL can be applied both in digital classrooms and physical classrooms.

Accessibility in online learning:

• Allow for extra time to complete tasks for some students when needed
• Allow students to manipulate captions/visuals when possible
• Synchronous sign language with videos
• Allow students to manipulate start/stop/slow down of videos

(Apply Guidelines for Accessible Online Learning Materials, n.d.)

Equitable access to digital resources

According to Vasquez (2023), there is a digital divide in education. There are some strategies to help minimize this:

• Learning institutions should aim to have reliable internet and devices available

• Introduce digital literacy into the curriculum. This way, students will be able to independently take advantage of the online resources

• Engaging communities to have access to reliable online resources whether in libraries or community centers

Having access to asynchronous learning has helped me a lot! I prefer learning at my own pace without being confined to a traditional classroom. It also allows me to choose the best times to complete my tasks.

Ethical Challenges of EdTech

Regan and Jesse (2018) have raised concerns over the ethical challenges of EdTech:

• Removal of anonymity: Big data can store enough information about an individual like: political beliefs; psychological problems; sex behavior or attitudes; anti-social or demeaning behavior; and religious beliefs

• Tracking trends: The data collected can track what an individual does online. With this, they are able to market certain products to an individual or groups of people

• Discrimination: The information collected can cause segregation and bias among different races. This can then develop unequal assessments among students

Ways teachers can protect students from this

(Teachers’ Essential Guide to Teaching With Technology | Common Sense Education, 2024) has listed ways to limit the exposure:

• Create a list of approved apps you are okay with the students using. If an educator is interested in using a new app, they should ask for investigation first from the appropriate technical team

• Ensure the internet has a filter in place that blocks certain websites from collecting students’ information

• Teachers should also get familiar with FIPPA, and how it limits harmful data exposure

This video proposes the way in which EdTech can be harmful to students’ data

Digital Interactions: Cons

• People can spread false information regarding certain topics. Falsified information can be especially harmful when it comes to sensitive topics

• Online bullying has also limited the “safe-space” when one may be want to share information

Before sharing information, I will ensure that I fact-check it to minimize the spread of false information. I will also make sure to address or update any misinformation if possible. It is important to me that people feel comfortable reaching out if they have concerns about something I have said or shared online. This will allow me to make the necessary adjustments and ensure it does not happen again.

Applying UDL and Accessibility Principles: 

I once took a course that involved understanding different types of vegetation. To supplement this, we had a field trip that allowed us to climb Mt. Doug. While this was helpful for visual learners, it may not have been ideal for students who were unable to climb or walk. To accommodate them, a video of the hike would have been a great addition to the course

References

Apply guidelines for accessible online learning materials. (n.d.). https://teachingkb.mcgill.ca/tlk/apply-guidelines-for-accessible-online-learning-ma

Regan, P. M., & Jesse, J. (2018). Ethical challenges of edtech, big data and personalized learning: twenty-first century student sorting and tracking. Ethics and Information Technology, 21(3), 167–179. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-018-9492-2

Teachers’ Essential Guide to Teaching with Technology | Common Sense Education. (2024, August 11). Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/teachers-essential-guide-to-teaching-with-technology

Vasquez, L. (2023, November 14). Navigating the digital divide: Ensuring equitable access to technology in education. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-digital-divide-ensuring-equitable-access-vasquez-m-ed-up05e#:~:text=By%20committing%20to%20the%20expansion%20of%20digital,a%20future%20where%20every%20student%20is%20empowered

This refers to the strategies used in an academic setting to facilitate relaying information between teachers and students. I believe teaching strategies are important, as the chosen method can make learning a particular topic more insightful and clear while also reducing the time needed for understanding.

The methods that worked for me:

• It’s important to consider the teaching methods used based on the type of class. For example, a hands-on teaching approach has been particularly helpful for me when learning how a tool works or replicating real-life scenarios that are difficult to explain through traditional teaching methods. Also, sometimes the teaching method may be bias to teacher-centered or student-centered methods. The superior method is the teacher-student interactive method,where students would do their own discovery-learning that is then supplemented with the teacher’s information (Ganyaupfu & Department of Economic and Business Sciences; PC Training & Business College; South Africa, 2013).

• A holistic approach to teaching has been essential to my learning. The way teachers choose to relay information plays a crucial role in maximizing understanding. For example, providing optional resources such as YouTube videos that present information in an engaging way can be especially helpful. Additionally, supplementing in-class learning with field trips to enhance understanding has been greatly appreciated.

Networked Pedagogy

Network pedagogy enables a rich learning experience by connecting information among people through a digital space. This approach fosters diversity and provides exposure to different methods, resources, and learning strategies. Social media offers real-time updates on information, allowing for quicker access. For example, if there are any new archaeological discoveries, social media would be updated much faster than a textbook. Additionally, blogs and social media are more interactive and engaging, which helps me form meaningful connections with the material. Finding a niche has also allowed me to create meaningful connections with like-minded people globally. This encourages us to continuously update new information and keeps the eagerness for learning alive.

Social Learning Theory

Social learning theory has been especially helpful for me. Listening to others allows me to expand my educational perspective beyond my initial way of learning and applying information. For example, in this class, visiting other people’s blogs has inspired me to experiment with different formats for presenting information in my own blog. This also encourages me to be more interactive with others and diversify my learning approach.

Roles of the Instructor

Course design and planning: The resources should be user-friendly to locate, with a clear update on the progress of the student

Facilitating learning: Be active in the course by implementing activities, with regular updates to offer support. Studies have shown that instructor presence aids in retention and social presence of peers (Beege et al., 2023).

Building community: Establish an open learning environment among the students. Creating active learning strategies that encourages team-work among the peers

This article provides an in-depth description of the various roles of online instructors.

Based on past experiences, my online learning experience has improved over time. Some instructors struggled to adapt to online spaces in the past, which sometimes caused issues. However, for the most part, it has been a positive experience. That said, it was particularly harder for courses that required a more hands-on approach

Exploring Digital Spaces

Digital learning has broadened my appreciation for education. Being able to access different resources and ideas from social platforms has allowed for a myriad of accessible information.

Pros: Diverse and accessible information

Cons: Incorrect information from social media platforms and conflicting information across online resources.

My contribution to the digital space is to be cooperative and open to discussions about ideas. I also aim to be more interactive and resourceful when gathering information, as well as to give back by updating any misinformation I may have provided.

References:

Beege, M., Schroeder, N. L., Heidig, S., Rey, G. D., & Schneider, S. (2023). The instructor presence effect and its moderators in instructional video: A series of meta-analyses. Educational Research Review, 41, 100564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100564

Ganyaupfu, E. M. & Department of Economic and Business Sciences; PC Training & Business College; South Africa. (2013). Teaching methods and students’ academic performance. In International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (Issue 9, pp. 29–35).