Open Education….opening up to the global world….

A definition….

Open educations practices are publically available, usually free educational resources that are typically available on the internet.  Wikis are the most commonly used media for disseminating information. The idea is to connect individuals globally and to contribute to enhancing social capital.  Open Education Resources provide a helpful media for educators looking for teaching resources and for students participating in courses or doing research on a topic. 

The Otago Polytechnic has been using WikiEducator – “one of the world's fastest growing and most productive open education wiki communities in the formal education sector”..  It has also set up Learning4Content – “the world's largest free training project to develop wiki skills for education”.

Some strategies/resources I could use….

In regard to the Applied Psychology for Nurses course I am teaching, in addition to Wikipedia and You tube, I could use some of the free resources on these websites:

http://www.psychexchange.co.uk/.  I have just logged in to this teacher exchange and will keep you posted on how useful I find it!

There is also a huge website of resources (some are free) on this website http://www.all-about-psychology.com/psychology-research-methods.html.  Wow, I could get lost for hours here!!

There is another website which might be handy.  It has games and videos that look really interesting. http://freenursetutor.com/menuparent-growth-and-development/flash-a-match-ericksons-theory.html

Open education resources and philosophies are important for teaching and learning…because….

It allows teachers and learners to keep in touch with the latest trends and practices in their fields.  It enables communities to share ideas and contribute to knowledge in their discipline.  Resources allow educators to keep up with the changing world….lunch break becomes computer play time!