The Open Courseware Movement in Higher Education: Unmasking Power and Raising Questions about the Movement's Democratic Potential

Abstract

Abstract. In this essay Robert Rhoads, Jennifer Berdan, and Brit Toven-Lindsey examine some of the key literature related to the open courseware (OCW) movement (including the emergence and expansion of massive open online courses, or MOOCs), focusing particular attention on the movement's democratic potential. The discussion is organized around three central problems, all relating in some manner or form to issues of power: the problem of epistemology, the problem of pedagogy, and the problem of hegemony. More specifically, the authors raise issues related to the narrow notion of knowledge typically conveyed in the OCW movement, a limited understanding of what constitutes empowering pedagogy, and the lack of treatment of inequities associated with the production of courseware materials. The authors go on to argue that the lack of critical analysis of the OCW movement is tied to its relative alignment with educational reforms driven by neoliberal ideology and that such alignment serves to limit the movement's democratic possibilities.

Why Study on a MOOC? The Motives of Students and Professionals

“…More recently, commercial providers, such as edX, Coursera, and FutureLearn have emerged, working in partnership with universities to provide open online courses that scale to tens of thousands of participants. These courses foreground content presentation, typically lecture, video, and automated assessment, over opportunities for interaction (Anderson, 2013;Margaryan, Bianco, & Littlejohn, 2015), While these scalable designs have led some authors to question their utility as an effective environment for online learning (Rhoads, Berdan, & Toven-Lindsey, 2013), their popularity is clear. Demographic data provided by MOOC providers suggest that at least two-thirds of MOOC participants are already highly educated (at least to college level) (edX, 2014).…”

The Impact of OER on Instructional Effectiveness: A Case Study

“…Even though Carson et al (2012), Lovett, Meyer and Thille (2008), Rhoads et al (2013), and Okonkwo (2012) have indicated that the OpenCourseWare movement is a tremendous opportunity for both students and instructors, sufficient attention has not been paid to its instructional effectiveness. Most people are not aware of such systems or their benefits.…”

“…The Internet offers a natural, intuitive way to share knowledge, and many institutions have been seeking online solutions to help both students and educators (Johnstone & Poulin, 2002). Making knowledge globally accessible through university-level course materials may help students learn their coursework better and encourage adults to seek and sustain life-long learning (OECD, 2007;Rhoads, Berdan, & Toven-Lindsey, 2013). …”

“…The MIT OCW project and similar projects of other U.S. universities were presented and discussed throughout the forum, and the very premise of Open Educational Resources was one of many outcomes (Johnstone, 2005). As a result of the exponential growth of free and accessible information, the OER movement is becoming more common around the world (Rhoads, Berdan, & Toven-Lindsey, 2013). OER materials are regularly published with an open, creative common license, which allows users to duplicate, edit, and reuse materials in alignment with defined educational purposes.…”

Supporting Access to Open Online Courses for Learners of Developing Countries

“…The worldwide reach of content such as open online courses form one basis that proponents use to advance the OER concept as socially responsible; providing equitable and universal access to knowledge; and potentially, aiding in the alleviation of international poverty (Rhoads et al, 2013;Richter & McPherson, 2012). A worldwide reach, however, does not necessarily translate into universal accessibility.…”