Open Up!

https://pixabay.com/photo-999247/ Open educational resources (OER) are freely available educational materials that can be used by anyone, anywhere utilizing the power of the internet.  UNESCO defines OER as, “any type of educational materials that are in the public domain or introduced with an open license. The nature of these open materials means that anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt and re-share them.”  Open pedagogy goes hand in hand with OER.  Open education advocate, David Wiley notes that employing OER in the same ways traditional textbooks are used will reduce textbook costs for students and may improve learning outcomes because more students have access to required materials but he notes that this substitution does little to elevate or innovate teaching practice.  Open pedagogy practices can provide this innovation.  Open licenses make open pedagogy possible.  Open licenses allow instructors to reuse, revise and essentially reinvent educational resources.

Like open education, online distance learning is a much-debated topic in the realm of higher education.  Online programs catering to distance education students, especially at the graduate and professional level, continue to grow as colleges and universities look for ways to increase enrollments and revenue.  Technology has made growth possible in both open education and online distance education.  Many online students are working adults seeking to expand their knowledge and obtain degrees and certifications to advance their careers.  They often don’t have the luxury, the financial means, or the desire to leave their current careers or jobs to become resident students. Online distance program enrollment is the answer for many of these individuals.  These programs are growing ( OLC ).   What if we envision a future in which interconnections between online distance learning and open education become accepted standards?  What if future distance education courses featured the exclusive