Personal Blogs

How would you judge OpenLearn in terms of your definition of innovation?

Whilst OpenLearn wasn't the first open content initiative from a highly regarded university, the Open University was definitely an early adopter. In comparison to some of the other initiatives I've seen, one of the most impressive aspects is the light level of learning design applied to the content.

I've seen a number of initiatives that are just content repositories online, which the learner must wade through to find bits and pieces that are of interest. By contrast, the Open Learn site clearly defines categories of interest, allows you to filter content by media type, defines outcomes and provides structure to your learning path. There are even interactive elements to the site.

How open did you find OpenLearn?

The content is unrestricted and available entirely for free. I found the site easy to navigate and simple to find content on the subjects I'm interested in.

How does OpenLearn challenge conventional assumptions about paying for higher education modules?

For nearly two decades the internet has been radically unbundling industries that relied on a relative monopoly of the channels which provided individuals with access to high-quality content. Think about the television, music, and publishing industries – ouch!

In the digital era, the value of content alone tends towards zero. My sense is that in the education industry, people aren't paying for access to content anymore, they're now paying for a curated learning experience. This experience is facilitated by an expert, completed  in collaboration with other learners, and finally is certified by a reputable institution.

I think the OpenLearn strategy is solid, provide great content for free, and constantly (throughout the site) reinforce the opportunities to "change your life" with a degree from the Open University. It's got to be one of the best lead generation tools they have for recruiting students to their core business.

Choose another example from the paper and go to the project’s website to find out more about it. Again reflect on how you would judge the project in terms of innovation.

Although the MIT Open Courseware initiative was only referred to in passing in the paper, I chose this because it's my favourite example of an OER project.

A recent innovation which I've just seen is the translated courses available on the site. Other innovative features include site statistics and a world impact report. On the downside, I think it's a shame that the site focusses so much on raising money for the project, as opposed (like the OU does) to finding a way to direct the site visitors to some paid activity that funds the project. That said, I did see an advert for Edx on the site, which I'm sure will start charging for their courses in time.