In tonight’s class session, Dr. Kumiko Aoki from the Open University of Japan was gracious to share her knowledge about Open Educational Resources (OER) and Open Courseware (OCW). OER are free and open resources which can be purposed for learning and teaching, particularly in an online environment. It is an educational technology trend that has gained traction on a global scale and requires our attention. After an interactive presentation by Dr. Aoki, we were randomly assigned to groups for further discussion.
A concern for managing and assessing students on a very large scale was a focal point of our group discussion. Dr. Bert mentioned an interesting and relevant point. Students who are taking the course for credit would certainly need to be assessed. However, students who are not receiving course credit may not need to be assessed. I feel that the course design could include components for student self-assessments. This would provide immediate feedback to the student as they progress through the course and make the experience more meaningful.
OER has opened doors for many who are unable to afford the costs of a formal education. The good thing about OER is that all of the enrolled students have equal access to acquiring new knowledge. This improves the lives of learners in a personal, social, and corporate manner.
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A concern for managing and assessing students on a very large scale was a focal point of our group discussion. Dr. Bert mentioned an interesting and relevant point. Students who are taking the course for credit would certainly need to be assessed. However, students who are not receiving course credit may not need to be assessed. I feel that the course design could include components for student self-assessments. This would provide immediate feedback to the student as they progress through the course and make the experience more meaningful.
OER has opened doors for many who are unable to afford the costs of a formal education. The good thing about OER is that all of the enrolled students have equal access to acquiring new knowledge. This improves the lives of learners in a personal, social, and corporate manner.
Quick Poll:
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