My first blog for OLTD 505 began by sorting through the sample readings and videos on the week’s topic, “Foundations of Open Education”. I have read about MOOCS since the beginning of this graduate program. Subscribing to Stephen Downes (www.downes.ca) since last September has been the best source for background knowledge on Open Education with the latest articles on MOOCS (Massive Online Open Courses). I was informed about MOOCS, but within my school teaching community, it seemed quite an obscure topic. The National on CBC tonight (http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/The+National/ID/2382793774/ ) began a new series called “ Education Evolution”, with its first episode called “ The MOOC”. MOOCS have gone national in Canada hitting primetime news. For the first time since learning about MOOCS, I finally had the urge to take one. It was not the allure of the course being “free” and it was not the offering from a prestigious University that drew me in. In actuality, it was an enthusiastic woman with pink hair completely excited about her field of expertise. MOOCs are here to stay and the success of open education will rely on educators with expertise, passion, enthusiasm and with a delivery model that appeals to a global audience.
As an educator, David Wiley’s “Openness, Disaggregation and the Future of Education” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcRctjvIeyQ ) video emphasized for me the most intriguing aspect of Open Education: the “unintended things that happen” along the way.” Back in 502, I encountered my first CEET MEET where I viewed Alec Couros’s video on “How Social Networks are transforming the Future of Teaching and Learning” (http://tie.uvic.ca/). The story of a 16 year old from Scotland contributing a jingle for the grad course has stuck with me as that unexpected and valuable contribution made when openness is allowed. Using an inquiry-based classroom has given me a taste of the unknown and the unexpected in my teaching. Scary as it seems, the unexpected has rejuvenated my teaching and I would imagine that teaching a MOOC with unintended learning would create a similar teaching “Buzz”. The learning that happens when we connect with others creates an atmosphere ripe for innovation and creativity.
That pink-haired lady who peaked my interest in her course was microbiologist Rosie Redfield from UBC. Her open course called “Useful Genetics” had over 20,000 enrolled. Her students ranged from high school biology teachers to farmers. Rosie was excited to offer her course to anyone who has “time and a brain”. My “time” may be limited today, but my brain is eager to experience my first MOOC course with a readiness to be prepared for the unexpected.