Personal Blogs

Open Education – the main experience I have is with open resources.  I have been able to network through RSC-JISC (a really good organisation) where the opportunity to meet others in the field of training and education share ideas and offer case studies on eLearning and Innovation.  It is through this dialogue that I have developed my knowledge of open resources that I have then utilised in my own delivery.  They include:

• NLN Resources (Learning and Improvement Skills Service).  Although no  longer in development it has secured a licence to allow access to the resources that were developed.  Many colleges had embedded links from their Virtual Learning Platforms and surveys highlighted a demand for the continued access of the resources that are vocationally specific and interactive.
• SmartScreen Plus – a support website for learners and tutors for resources and materials for specific City and Guilds qualification with new resources being made available as an ongoing project
• Tutor2u – offering a range of free resources (as well as subscribed service) that include vocational specific resources
• TES Connect – ‘share and download free lesson plans, classroom resources, revision guides and curriculum worksheets. Free and adaptable to suit activities’

I have found Open Resources a great way to ‘start the balling rolling’ when developing new schemes of work for delivery.  It is great that you can share and access resources that are often interactive and ready to go.  They may not be directly aligned to the syllabus or standards that are being delivered but can still offer a learning experience. 

Some of the examples listed above, such as tes-connect allow for teachers to feedback on the quality of the resource and any improvements that they feel could be made so as a community resources are being developed.  You have to, as a professional be willing to receive constructive criticism if you share through this system and keep an open mind as this can further enhance resources.

I would also highlight that sometimes ‘free’ can be associated with lower quality. My experiences of open resources does not share that view.  In fact many open resources have been developed by organisations securing funds and grants to develop specific resources or are shared by those proud of their work and wish for it to benefit others.

Continuing on with the ‘free’ theme.  This is something that is relevant in teaching.  In my provision, since bringing in an enrolment fee to contribute with the government funding of the course the retention and achievement rates have improved significantly.  With the development of Open Education this association of ‘free’ and the quality that comes with it may begin to change.

I have also developed a number of resources with features such as Popplets, Mural.ly and Prezi that all actively encourage you to share with the community of users.  I feel comfortable with this but I know many colleagues who are very protective over their resources and would feel ‘potentially redundant’ by sharing too  many of them.  I have seen a massive positive shift in this view  over the last decade and this may be part due to the business development models of these types of teaching resources that are becoming more and more common place  in resource development.

References:

City and Guilds. (2014). Smart Screen Plus. Available: http://www.cityandguilds.com/provide-training/delivery-success/smartscreen. Last accessed 17/03/14.

NLN. (2010). Material and Home Page. Available: http://www.nln.ac.uk/. Last accessed 17/03/14.

Tutor2u. (2014). Home Page. Available: http://www.tutor2u.net/. Last accessed 17/03/14.

TES. (2014). TES - Connect. Available: http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resources/. Last accessed 17/03/14.

East. (2014). Regional Support Centre. Available: http://www.jiscrsc.ac.uk/eastern. Last accessed 17/03/14