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Topic 2 - Open Educational Resources

This week's discussion focused on why and how we can contribute to open educational resources, including open online courses. Why share online? People share online when they perceive that it enhances their professional reputation and when they feel a strong commitment to the community (Wasko & Furaj, 2005). When talking about community in this sense, it could be the larger global knowledge community, the community of one's academic discipline, a community of scholars, or smaller communities with defined goals and interests. Scarborough (2003) presented 4 postures of knowledge sharing: 1. Web - means of establishing connections with others 2. Ladder - sharing in pursuit of status and career advancement 3. Torch - sharing by following the example of leaders 4. Fortress - sharing to protect against external threats
Reflecting on these 4 categories of sharing, I think of my own work and some examples: 1. A web - I think our ONL181 course is a great example of this type of sharing. We are all here to learn and to form connections with others interested in online learning. We share to exchange our knowledge and experience and also to help others with ideas for their teaching practice. I believe our sharing is due to our desire to connect with the others in our small group, and then the larger group. 2. A ladder - On my LinkedIn profile, I have a series of videos that I created with testimonials about my work. This was for an internal project, but I decided to share it online to showcase feedback from my work that external people wouldn't otherwise see. When thinking more about MOOCs and online resources, it is possible that you can reach others who might have a positive impact on your career. If someone takes your online course or uses a resource you posted on your blog/website, you continue to expand a network of learners who are gaining from your expertise. 3. The torch - in my current institution, there is a research project called ORFEE. We are encouraged to share published work and work in progress as part of an overall institutional strategy of showcasing faculty member research work. As long as the individual has the rights to their work, this is a way to make it more accessible and share with a larger audience. Each faculty member has a web page that also hosts links to their references in ORFEE. 4. The fortress - this one is a bit more difficult for me to think about. However I think that some institutions decide to contribute to the online world of education in order to get ahead of perceived competition. If we are the first to have an online program, we will capture a certain audience. While the essence of this category isn't necessarily "to beat the competition," in a way, sharing in this sense speaks to those who want to remain ahead of others and showcase their expertise. Overall the whys of sharing have implications for individuals and institutions. Personally I see the benefits of sharing because as an educator I tend to have an idealist view of the world and learning. References: Scarbrough, H. (2003). Why your employees don't share what they know. Knowledge Management Review, 6, 16-19. Wasko, M. M., & Faraj, S. (2005). Why should I share? Examining social capital and knowledge contribution in electronic networks of practice. MIS quarterly, 35-57.

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