From Lost to Belonging
Amanda Coolidge,
BCcampus, OpenEd19,
Nov 01, 2019
People really liked this keynote, and I can see why, but it doesn't really resonate with me. The core message is "How we move forward has to be through collaboration. Find others working on similar projects, look across institutional structures and across borders." But I think what I'm up to with open education is still different from what other people are up to. "Our IOWA (ie., our one and only goal), as a community, is to ensure our students are successful in their learning through accessible education." Which means, "customization, inclusion, diversity, accessibility, all are under the umbrella of equity, and isn't that we are trying to do here? Create an equitable environment for our students to be successful?"
To me, there's far too much us doing something for them in all of this. Education - including open education - has never fully embraced the idea that people's lives are their own to lead, and that they want, and should have, the right and the freedom to define their own objectives their own values and their own beliefs. We get told - a lot - what we should believe and what we should be working toward. But my objective, as a developer, educator and supporter of open learning isn't to 'ensure success' or 'create an equitable environment'. It isn't to build big institutions or grand collaborations across borders. It isn't limited to students. It's mostly to get out of the way, and then, as needed, to offer tools resources, encouragement and support as each person pursues their own good in the own way.
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