Hello all!
Nice to meet you! Glad some of my favourite technopedagogues like @robinderosa1, @clhendricksbc, and @stephen are here!
(To me, technopedagogy is about ensuring tech isn’t an obstacle to learning. Been particularly interested in technological appropriation: making technology your own and making it appropriate for your contexts.)
Been very enthusiastic about Open Education for quite a while, even organized an event with @hugh and other likeminded people (@zoe was there, IIRC). Been exploring different ways to make OERs work, including through a stint as a technopedagogical advisor for Quebec’s college network.
Much of my interest in OER is about helping others share and create material they find useful. Part of what’s missing from most publishing models is the community-building aspect of working with some of the same items. My dream is to help people collaborate across geographical, disciplinary, and even linguistic boundaries through some shared sources.
Also been interested in some technical aspects of OER classification, production, and integration. Things like metadata using Semantic Web principles and specifications such as MLR and LOM. Or embedding OERs in the platforms we use to interact with other learners and teachers (from a mainstream LMS to a WordPress-based post-LMS). Even some connections with Learning Analytics via xAPI and/or Caliper. On that front, really glad Pressbooks has H5P on its roadmap. Have yet to use it in production but it sure affords intriguing possibilities. Finally, got really enthusiastic about using small devices (say, Raspberry Pi computers or even travel routers like the Hootoo Tripmate line) to host OERs. Had fun playing with Pressbooks on a Raspberry Pi Zero. Part of the idea here is that such a device can be connected without requiring Internet access. If learners are plugged into Pressbooks to work on some shared material, they’re not likely to get as much distraction from the ’Net. (Most of my other #RasPi projects have to do with musicking.)
But all this is about “doing stuff with Open Educational Resources”, not about building Open Textbooks.
Been planning a number of projects for Open Textbooks (say, a handbook for ethnographic disciplines) but haven’t involved myself on the production side, yet. Might not even get there, just yet. Sorry!
Part of it is about managing my commitments. My actions tend to be most productive when they’re very short-term and quite modest. So, doing a couple of recordings for Librivox was satisfying. So was making my courses into podcasts. Producing OERs does also make sense in this context. Creating a textbook requires a much deeper and longer involvement.
Not to mention that textbooks are far from my favourite approach to learning. Did end up using several, in introductory anthropology or introductory sociology. But would rather build new kinds of things with learners. Which is why @robinderosa1’s (and now @trobbins1981’s) project was so striking, to me.
Still not exactly sure what my actions will be in this community. It can depend on a number of factors, especially in terms of my job situation. Currently working as a Learning Pathways Strategist for the Global Cybersecurity Resources out of Carleton University. We do have a significant interest in OER, but my role is less about the content than about the overall approach, process, and principles.
Taking on a project as part of one of my courses might work well. But, again, it requires planning. Been teaching at diverse institutions on a part-time basis, rarely getting the opportunity to prepare a significant project. Currently teaching applied anthropology at University of Ottawa. We’ve used a large variety of articles and chapters from books available in university databases (particularly the Sage Research Methods collection). Learners have a choice over a large number of these and they can also use other resources. This way, people have unique things to share and they become responsible for those resources. Doesn’t always work and it’s a bit destabilizing. But when it does work, it produces very interesting results. (Been doing similar things for a few years at both Concordia University and uO.)
Again, it’s a bit hard to tell what my involvement in this community will be. Would like to contribute and might jump onto somebody else’s project. Or find other ways to move things forward.
In the meantime, do feel free to connect in any way you want about any Open Education topic you find interesting!
Cheers!
– Alex
