Week 12 Article Reflections (April 4th)
Happy April! We are so close to the end of the semester I can almost feel it! I hope you all are having a great start to April. The storms here have been crazy this week, but I got a chance to escape for a little bit with a spring break trip to Mexico. I enjoyed the sunshine and relaxation and am ready to finish these next few weeks strong! I look forward to reading your alls thoughts this week 😁
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Article 1: Fifty years of open education policy and practice in Australia
I was unfamiliar with the term "open education" before this week. I was grateful to read from Evans & Jakupec (2023) that "open education in higher education is about providing unfettered access to higher education to any adult who chooses to study" (pg. 605). The authors provide an overview of Australia's last 50 years of open education in their study. Over the years, efforts have been made to provide access for students, especially those in more remote areas. However, as we've seen in multiple facets of education, simply providing access doesn't always mean it will be equitable for all (I think about the digital divide here). Another point the authors bring up is how policy often will hinder how open education can advance. Open education has always depended on people like teachers, support staff, and students. People are more important than just the tools or platforms. Access doesn't automatically lead to success without investing in the human side.
Article 2: Understanding college students’ achievement goals toward using open educational resources from the perspective of expectancy-value theory
Nowadays, students can access free digital learning materials (OER) in an instant. However, it has been shown they don’t always use them. In their study, Tang et al. (2023) look into why this might be using expectancy-value theory. Basically, students are more likely to use OER if they expect to do well with it and think it’s valuable. Their study found that students with strong mastery goals (the desire to truly understand something) were more likely to use OER. Meanwhile, students motivated by performance (just trying to score well) didn’t engage as deeply. Also, perceived usefulness was a big deal. If students didn’t see how the OER connected to their goals or course outcomes, they weren’t motivated to use it, even if it was free and easy to access.
Article 3: Opening a future: A perspective on motivation in open education
Lastly, in their systematic literature review, Iniesto and Bossu (2023) take a close look into how equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are addressed in open education. By analyzing 15 relevant studies, they were able to identify key strategies for effectively implementing EDI in open education. A main finding is the importance of involving all stakeholders in developing open educational practices and co-creating open educational resources (OER). This collaborative approach will allow diverse perspectives to be considered. This will also lead to enhancing the relevance and accessibility of OER. Additionally, the authors emphasize the need to account for cultural, linguistic, and locational factors in OER development to make open education more inclusive and equitable. This review provides a foundation for future research and practice integrating EDI principles into open education.
References
Evans, T. D., & Jakupec, V. (2023). Fifty years of open education policy and practice in Australia. Distance Education, 44(4), 604–619. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2023.2267479Tang, H., Yang, Y., & Bao, Y. (2023). Understanding college students’ achievement goals toward using open educational resources from the perspective of expectancy-value theory. Distance Education, 44(4), 675–693. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2023.2267464
Your reflections on these three articles provide a nuanced understanding of open education and the challenges associated with it. I really appreciate how you connected the concept of open education with real-world challenges, like the digital divide, and emphasized the importance of human elements over mere access. The insights from Tang et al. (2023) on how students’ motivation impacts their use of OER are especially relevant, as it highlights that providing resources alone is not enough – their perceived value also matters. Additionally, the focus on EDI in open education by Iniesto and Bossu (2023) adds a critical perspective on how inclusivity should be embedded in educational practices. Your ability to synthesize these concepts while reflecting on their practical implications is impressive!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm definitely looking forward to my own reading this week after your notes. I'm struck by the OER findings - those that want to score proficiently are less likely to engage and those that want to master the material are more likely to engage with the materials. There have been weeks that I have to do "the bare minimum" to get my work done - meaning I don't get to dig in as much as I'd like with the materials, but wish I could. But I AM doing that just to ensure I get the grade! It doesn't always produce meaningful learning. That has me reflecting on my own habits, for sure. Thanks for the notes, Emilee!
ReplyDelete"I was unfamiliar with the term "open education" before this week. I was grateful to read from Evans & Jakupec (2023) that "open education in higher education is about providing unfettered access to higher education to any adult who chooses to study" (pg. 605). The authors provide an overview of Australia's last 50 years of open education in their study. Over the years, efforts have been made to provide access for students, especially those in more remote areas. However, as we've seen in multiple facets of education, simply providing access doesn't always mean it will be equitable for all (I think about the digital divide here). Another point the authors bring up is how policy often will hinder how open education can advance. Open education has always depended on people like teachers, support staff, and students. People are more important than just the tools or platforms. Access doesn't automatically lead to success without investing in the human side." Open education is perhaps the most important concept and most important technology of the semester. I have education 3 books on MOOCs and open ed and written a 4th one. It is near and dear to my heart. You mention Carina Bossu. She has a chapter in one of these books...she is great.
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