Rethinking OER s and their use: Open Education as Bildung

Markus DeimannInstitute of Educational Science and Media Research

FernUniversität in Hagen

Robert FarrowOpen Learning Network

Open University UK

Introduction:What are OER?

Introduction:What are OER?

OER as “digitised materials offered freely and openly for educators, students and self-learners to use and reuse for teaching and learning”(OECD)

Materials are available and consumable anywhere, anyplace and anytime OER-specific: MERLOT, Connexions YouTube, WikipediaFlickr, Slideshare, Facebook etc.)

Potential to catalyse educational practices Part of a global movement towards more openness to

(Higher) Education Up to now, no solid theoretical foundation

The concept of Bildung

The concept of Bildung

Unique in the world and covers a wide range of philosophical and religious connotations and applications which are beyond definition

Typically it is an individual activity (in the UK/US: education as an external process to influence the person)

In Germany it is now a label for the educational business and for politics

Bildung has been transformed into measurable competencies (which change very often)

A paradigm regained? (Prange, 2004); Bildung is on the agenda again

Humboldt's Ideal of Bildung

Humboldt's Ideal of Bildung

Bildung as the unrestrained interplay between the individual and the world in the most comprehensive, vital and freest way possible

A cultivation of inner life in reflexive, creative and self-organised forms

Has failed to be utilized in structured and formalised contexts (University of Berlin)

In recent times, reduced to economic affordances (“lifelong learning”) but still used as “label”

Basic assumption of Bildung

Basic assumption of Bildung

Bildung and MediaBildung and Media

Internet as a new space of Bildung and culture How people use the Internet creatively for their

own presentations, articulations and manifestations of identity (virtual arrangements)?

A lot of research on MUD (identity, rules) New digital spaces with potentials for Bildung (not

just for learning): Massive Open Online Courses New spill-over effects (traditional: real life ↔

virtual life): usage of social media in private/leisure contexts ↔ usage in learning contexts are underinvestigated

Bildung and Open Education

Bildung and Open Education

Bildung is prone to bridge the theoretical gap that has been existed in Open Education for several decades

Provides a broader framework than pure learning theories that are constrained to fixed settings (e.g. classroom)

Bildung and OER share the same values (“humanity”) Complement each other

Bildung describes the processes of interacting with the world but leaves practical aspects open

OER stress the means of accessing knowledge by modern ICT

Research questionsResearch questions

What impact has Open Education on Bildung? Assumption: Learning is becoming more an more

open, thus more complex Traditional patterns (formal education) are not

adequate any longer due to global transformations

New learning frameworks need to be developed → Process of Bildung

Individual perspective: Biographical interviews Empirical evidence to theorise on Bildung --->

Theory of Open Bildung

ConclusionsConclusions

Significant potentials to elicit Bildung through the use of OER

Bildung provides a theoretical framework for OER built on values as autonomy, critical reflection, and inclusivity

Bildung sheds light to developments such as “commodification of education” and can trigger a revision of the economic reduction

Bildung questions simple assumptions: Access to learning materials is education; MOOC principles

Thank you very much!