Jumping Right In

Re: Jumping Right In

by Yves Simon -
Number of replies: 2
I am sorry for responding late. I didn't have time to go to the discussions and I couldn't find the thread associated to my post. I hope you will be able to read my reply. I am mostly talking about assessment of learning. Originally I was thinking the OERu as an entity by itself that would assess self-learners'knowledge through independent learning through OER and/or other learning materials and validate that knowledge by a degree but it seems that there are the traditional attendance and the non-attendance. But ehat about validating knowledge of people who candemonstrate what they learn independently and through networked learning? For example people like Lisa Chamberlin, Leigh Blackall, etc are modeling examples of how to obtain a PhD degree through self-learning and networked learning. Lisa mentioned in her blog that she is not interested in using her independent study to get an academic position nor to put the title Ph.D in front of her name. That's wise from her but why not? I don't know her personally but having read her blog and being in the same social network I am sure that she has the competence and knowledge to be treated as equal to anybody else who has a Ph.D once she gets her degree. Blackall as an university professor at Canberra university in Australia is doing a Ph.D by publication. This model is very known in England for university professors but it is not practiced at all in United States and many other countries in the world. Why not expanding it to people who are not university professors?. There is also the Ph.D degree "by research only" also well known in England but not in United States and many other parts of the world. Auto-didactism, networked learning, other alternative education theories are all part of the theories of Philosophy of Education. Why are idealism and pragmatism the predominant theories in Education throughout the world? Kamenetz mentioned in her DIY Education guide the equivalents of the credentials of the traditional universities. For example the socialization in traditional universities are equivalent to study groups at P2PU and many others. Recognition of academic competence can be earned through reputed social networks. I would suggest this guide to the people responsible at the OERu as a guide to completely open universities. I continue to mention the higher access to open while privileging competence. For me the open education movement should educate the academic world and the society at large that competence should not be limited to BS, MA, Ph.D, grades, diplomas, degrees, etc. Knowlege and competence are more than that. We should go beyond those myths in the 21st century. As a matter of fact most of the successfull people in the materialistic world don't have those credentials and there are many autdidacts in the academic world. It is time to change those myths and I think that should pass by the open education movement.
In reply to Yves Simon

Re: Jumping Right In

by Wayne Mackintosh -

Hi Yves,

Glad you could join us and no need for late apologies.

Yves Simon wrote,

As a matter of fact most of the successful people in the materialistic world don't have those credentials and there are many autdidacts in the academic world. It is time to change those myths and I think that should pass by the open education movement.

You are right, many successful people including leading scholarly thinkers who have had a major impact on the world did not have a PhDs.

A PhD is a rite of passage in the apprenticeship of knowledge production within a particular epistemology and understanding of knowledge. Openness is deeply rooted in the traditions of this form of knowledge production. Any traditional research worth their salt knows the finding the answer to a perplexing research questions begins with a literature review or study on the current state of thinking. In other words we build on the open ideas of others in the pursuit of new knowledge. That said, a conventional PhD is but one path of knowledge acquisition is not necessarily better than any other paths of knowledge pursuit and anyone who holds a PhD will know this (even thought they may not be prepared to admit is.)

So I do agree with you -- in the 21st we must go beyond the conventional forms of knowledge pursuit and societies recognition of how knowledge was acquired and credentialed.

I must concede that the OERu network is working within our own limitations -- We will not be able to resolve or find answers to all the questions and suggestions you raise. Of necessity, given government legislation and requirements for credible credentials, a conservative market and society we are restricting our level of innovation to what we can realistically achieve achieve in the formal sector -- its not to say what we are doing is better than anything else, but think of the OERu concept as our contribution from the formal sector to the rapidly evolving context of alternative learning for the 21st century.


In reply to Yves Simon

Re: Jumping Right In

by Wayne Mackintosh -

Yves Simon wrote,

Recognition of academic competence can be earned through reputed social networks.

While we have been critical of the academy to be fair to the university as institution, we must remember that many confer the the degree of Doctorate honoris causa. This is a good example where universities actually recognise the contributions and scholarship of individuals and award the highest qualification without traditional prerequisite degree requirements. Recipients of an honorary doctorate may use the degree in the same way as a substantive degree (except in some cases where the formal academic background would be a necessary requirement.)

The blessing in disguise is that no-one is forced to get a university of college degree.

Furthermore, the university is one of only a few institutions which welcomes and respects critical discourse from is paid staff even when its levelled at the university itself. Not many institutions welcome this level of internal self-reflection.

Bear in mind -- I do not work for a university and choose to work outside the sector but I believe that the University is an institution worth protecting for future societies.