Derek's Blog

A great start to the second day of the conference here in Austin - listening to Dr Joel Greenberg from the Open University on the topic; Improving the Student Learning Experience. Joel described a range of approaches that the Open University currently employs to engage with learners:

• OU Classic - the traditional print-based, correspondence courses the OU has done for many years, with all resources developed by the OU
  
• Wrap around courses - using resources from elsewhere (eg a text book) and "wrapping" it with specific instruction and guidance from the OU
  
• Empty Box courses - courses that start with a "blank slate" and develop through the discourse among students
  
• Bought-in courses - courses purchased from elsewhere
  
• Student Supplied content - courses based on content supplied by the students
  
• Web2.0 learning - courses based on the principles of social networking and student ownership/control

Kind of reminded me of the approaches that we were beginning to create at NZ's Correspondence School a few years ago. In relation to Web2.0 learning, Joel provided us with an insightful overview of SociaLearn, a project initiated by The Open University to combine the best of the values and approaches found in the new social web technologies with those of higher education. The following Slideshare show provides an introduction to what is happening in this initiative: