Week 4: Open Learning

I never realized how important it is in being open in learning environments. Using the internet, many people can figure out so many things and learn other ideas from the ones who shared them. However, if those people were to shy or never shared their thinking's then, other people, using the internet, would never find out about their ideas. The ones sharing the knowledge, is letting others utilize what they know and apply it somewhere. As talking more and more about sharing, I am coming to find out how beneficial sharing really is. 

The more shared information, the more knowledge there is to soak up. Spreading the word about sharing can get others interested and it may convince them to share something they know. How we can capture the spirit about open learning is by telling others about the importance of it. Having a participatory community can influence others to want to share more, leading to better people who read them. Teaching children about being open while learning can get them sharing at a young age. Open access to technology in the classroom, I believe, is important in eventually happening. If a student is asked a question, but they do not know the answer, they can quickly look it up, and learn what the answer is. Being able to provide those tools would help future students. 

Having face-to-face interaction between a teacher and student, is so important when it comes to learning. Trying to teach anyone anywhere, anytime could be tough. All children learn differently. Some children need to see the material, others need to hear it, or do it. Being in a traditional classroom set up, I think, it gives all of the different students a fair chance in learning. Being able to have the educator at eye level with students is helpful for them in learning the material. If students are struggling in the classroom, it is more obvious for a teacher to figure out then online. They can get the help they need right away. However, I do like the idea that children can use video chat to communicate with teachers, if needed. 

Slowly but surely some things start to go away, or be unheard of. The future of textbooks are so questionable. Technology has its way of moving in and taking over. Schools have been using different types of technology for years now and are still continuing to bring in different types of technology today. Having textbooks is the classroom, is one thing that might be taken over as well. Textbooks are expensive to buy but printing them has a ridiculous cost. Converting textbooks into digital copies will be more accessible, however, reading print is easily than reading something through a screen. Some students learn better with having the book, in their hands. Textbooks have their purpose, and I would hate to see them go. 

In Alec Couros one video about open learning, he quotes "Its not just experiencing these resources that we have but also being able to be an open learner, yourself." I have never thought about how important, sharing and being open while educating, is. Contributing your own knowledge to a network can help out so many other people, and may give another one many more ideas.  

http://springboard.uakron.edu/d2l/le/content/4060273/viewContent/3429214/View