Such a smart post and so many smart comments and good questions. I feel funny even thinking about adding more questions. So, I won't. Instead I will tell you about what I am thinking.
There is real potential for disaggregation of the traditional bundle of services and value-adds that institutions of higher education have offered. In fact, I do not think that it is too far off. Although the trend is perhaps made more obvious when considering non-traditional (adult and distance learners) than those who decided to spend a few years on physical “destination campuses, it is obvious (based on this post) that our typical use of technology and effective use of community developed and applied knowledge is not where it might be. That is, many of us feel as if we are not meeting our potential, and perhaps many learners would agree with us.
It is my feeling that the Academy (faculty and administration) is having trouble understanding its role in OpenEducation and is perhaps being less than embracing, not because the advantages are not obvious, but because the threats are. This being the case, some of the real innovation is being lead by academics (faculty and administrators) operating outside of the academy:
- FlatWorld Knowledge: http://www.flatworldknowledge.com
- P2PU: http://www.peer2peeruniversity.org
- WikiEducator:http://www.wikieducator.org
- Etc...
with additional activities and examples from other knowledge and information intensive sectors like publishing and broadcasting.
Thankfully I believe that much of this activity will be integrated into the Academic eventually, and that these activities are part of a catalytic process that consumes and nourishes all of the great work being done Based Peer Production, Agile methods, open design patterns, open technology standards, open content licensing, etc . . .). My only question is how quickly will particular institutions embrace and contribute to the OpenEducation agenda. It looks to me that some are quicker than others. The Open University, UK seems pretty on to it, and based on Terry Anderson's keynote at Sloan-C this past Wednesday, so does Athabasca.
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