Third Learning Reflection

It was indeed an enriching fortnight whereby I have learned a lot of new concept. When I first discover the requirements of this task, it had seemed to be a very a big task. First I have never created a blog.  I was not sure whether I will be able to through all the sessions.  But after this fortnight listening to all the different videopost, each of them has left a message for me

• Stephen Downes - Open Licensing is a way to share information and changing the education process
• Desmond Tutu - Talked about  freedom which is ongoing process not an end to itself
• David Whiley - Explained the 4Rs
• Eben Moglen and Lawrence Lesssig
• Cathy Casserly - How can Educators refine their copyright in knowledge sharing
• Justin Cone -Talked about the importance of CC and Encouraged creator to change "from some rights reserved approach to all right reserved"
• Frances Ferreira - Talked about how open school can be a solution for the growing demand for education

I thank Miss Sandya Guness, who  has enables me to enroll in this world wide free micro open online courses (MOOCS) - Open Content Licensing for Educators.

Thus allowing me to know about OER(Open Education Resources, copyright issues, creative commons unplugged .

Though at times, it was very hard for me to cope with the deadlines to post comment, I hope that I have meet the goals of this online course.

Thanks to all.

Richard Stallman - The four essentials for free software

Richard Stallman message was:

For a software to be free, it should cater for all the 4 essential point as stated below

• Freedom to use - free to run the program for any purpose
• Help yourself - study how the program works and free to adapt it to the user need
• Help your neighbor - free to redistribute copies of the program
• Help your community - free to improve the program

Thought on Frances Ferreira - Common Wealth of Learning

Choosing the right license

Thanks Frances for highlighting these raised points as how open education will benefit the young in primary school who are denied from education.  It was indeed a resourceful video which enhance my knowledge on situation in the world.  We all know about the educational problem in the world but I did not realise the alarming number of children who are denied of education in developing countries. 

According to research done by the Unesco 61 million of children are denied from education. In Africa there was a consequent rise in the number of children cannot get access to education.

In 2008, there was 29 million and in 2010, there was 51 million. 

Frances Ferreira raises an interesting point about “open school as a solution to the growing demand of education in developing countries”.  She also said that

“Reaching out school can be a far reaching benefit for development.”

Therefore her views encouraged us as teachers to choose the right license so that we can be a benefit for this great demand for education.  

MCQ Activity 3.1

Mrs Stelina Scerce, an educator in a private school in Mauritius, has created a power point presentation on Data Storage Devices to be used  as a teaching tool in lower classes.  She then published the work on the school web site.  Mrs Manjoo an educator in the same institution want to use the presentation for use in her tuition class.

Question No 1:

Who is the owner of the presentation after being published on the school website? 

 A. Mrs Serce

 B. School Property

Answer: B

Because Mrs Serce has published it on the school website.

Question No 2:

 

 Has Mrs Manjoo the right of taking the presentation to her tuition class?

A.  NO
B.  YES 

Answer: A
Because she should ask the school and Mrs Serce, the creator for permission to use the presentation.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Ownership

I think that I own the copyright of the teaching materials I create but if I am going to claim and restrict others from using it, then I will be selfish.  Sharing forms part of life.  All that we are using has been a result of someone's creativity.  Therefore to live harmoniously and free in life, with joy, we need to share our knowledge.

If I can be a benefit for someone with my creativity or be an inspiration to someone, then I am pleased that God has used me to a blessing to that person.

"Sharing is better than keeping to myself"

Reflection on Case Study

This case study has made reflect on my own use of the materials found on the Internet or any creativity done by another one.  Copyright has existed and is still existing today.  One must be careful before using any materials nowadays more than ever with such new technologies available. Acknowledging the creator and asking for permission is a must.  In the whole, people are claiming their rights to be protected, then how can we violate the copyright law which protect another human just like us.

Copyright Act

Definition of copyright

Copyright is a legal concept which grants creators (authors, musicians, artists and other creators the rights of ownership  and protection against unauthorised uses of their works .

History of copyright

1709:      The first copyright written in England called  "An act for the Encouragement of Learning"                                This law was passed  to promote learning, to encourage man to compose and write useful book.

1790:       The copyright Act 1790 was signed by Georges Washinton again  "for encouragement of
                learning".  This law protects the right of holders only insofar as it serves that purpose

1886:       Berne convention - a number of principles was accepted to be part of the copyright law


Copyright provides protection for the benefits of the holder of the creativity.  The law cater for four aspects

• Economic right - enable authors to earn a living from their creativity
• Moral right - gives the author the right to claim their auto-ship and restrict other from using the creation
• Related right- rights given to performers, producers of music and broadcasting organisations
• Transfer of right - licensing and transferring of rights

Thoughts on Wanna Work Together

This video  encourages creators to change their creativity from "all right reserved to some right reserved" together of giving the credit to creators for their original work.  It encourages creators to share their creativity as it will be  a help to others as rightly said in this video

" You enable people all over the world to use it, learn from it and be inspired from it"

Justin Cone Message - 2004

He said that creative commons allow the creator to choose from "some right reserved approach to all right reserved".

He talked about the importance of creative commons which will

• make life easier
• exchange of ideas
• If creators care enough for others, then creators should share their creativity.

He highlighted two views as stated below which creators need to think before taking a decision on their creativity.

• If we as creators we want to pass a message
• If this the end or the beginning of a creativity

Building on the Past Video

This video leads us to a clear function of the creative commons.  There exists a mode that suits each creators.  If a creator wants to share his creativity, it's perfectly fine, If  he wants to have credit for his work but want to share it to some right reserved, it's again fine.  This video had made reflect on what would have been our world if creators have not built on past research of previous researchers. 

 "Creativity builds on the past"

If we are living now in such a modern world, its all due to the fact that someone has continue to build on someone else research.

Second Learning Reflection

Indeed the discussion was very interesting and fruitful.  I have understand the concept of OER - Open Educational Resources.  According to David Wiley, it is a matter of price and permission.  He actually raised the points that  an OER should be free to access and free of permission that is not copyright.  He explained what he meant by free of permission which he called the 4Rs - free to

• Reuse
• Revise
• Remix
• Redistribute

The OECD describes the OER as

“	...digitised materials offered freely and openly for educators, students and self-learners to use and reuse for teaching, learning and research. OER includes learning content, software tools to develop, use and distribute content, and implementation resources such as open licences. This report suggests that "open educational resources" refers to accumulated digital assets that can be adjusted and which provide benefits without restricting the possibilities for others to enjoy them.	”
—OECD, 2007[5]

which from my point of view gives a clear idea of what an OER actually cater for and its content.  It implies that OER must be accessible to all at no cost, respecting the 4R and respecting the freedom of others..

I like option 2 as definition of OER :

Downes Definition - "OER are materials used to support education that may be freely accessed, reused, modified and shared by anyone"

The discussion forum allows to reflect on how Mauritian education will benefit from an OER atmosphere.  It would allow to reduce costs for learners as all text books will be available and will allow education more accessible.

OER will provide a way to have Education for all as rightly said by Phill Ker:

 

“	OER is the means by which education at all levels can be more accessible, more affordable and more efficient.	”
—Phil Ker, Chief Executive, Otago Polytechni

 Therefore OER will encourage learners at levels to keep the pace with learning and they will be encouraged to keep on updating their knowledge.

My Favourite Tweet is 

First Reflection

When I first knew about the work to be done, I felt  that now I going to be a practitioner of the new the radical evolution in learning. 

technologies available.  It allows me to arrive at an amazing conclusion and to reflect about

Creating a blog was the first activity which have to be done.  Though knowing that blog is  now available, I never created one.  In fact, I never thought I would be participating in a world wide forums where my views will be publish on the web through the use of blogs and micro blogs.

Together with creating blogs, Stephen Downes raised certain points to which I totally agree. The points raised were

• Sharing of information world wide
• Traditional ways have been replaced by posts, bookmaking and slideshows
• Saving money through the use of open resources

The reflection about whether teaching is a vocation and profession has enabled me to reflect about noble art inside teachers who wants to share their knowledge to their students through interaction.

Desmond Tutu  nobel price winner and chancellor of the University of Western Cape (UWC) main issue was about 'Digital Freedom'.

He rightly said 'Freedom is an ongoing process and not an end to itself.'

I do believe that this is best to describe education nowadays whereby free , free and open resources are being used in the field of education  which will indeed change the world for the better as said by Desmond.

I do believe that this type of learning where open source and free software exist will be a benefit for each and everyone who wants to learn for a better world

Thoughts on video From Stephen Downes

Thanks to Stephen to share the importancce of Open licensing.  He highlights the way open licensing is changing the way education takes place.

I totally agree that with his view 'A way to save money'.  In fact as he says that text books are becoming more and more expensive.  Though government is spending lot of money to provide text books, work books and other resources, it is not enough for students.

He also points out that open licensing is not just a way to save money but a new way of sharing information to each other like

• using post instead of highlighter
• using slide shows instead of traditional way of cutting pictures to make presentation 

I agree with his point that tradition means is changing to new ones.

I  also agree with his point and confidence that Open Licensing will be of great importance to each and every one as it will enable ones  to share information on the net and will help government and teachers to create text books and resources to be shared freely.  It will also help us to share own works  to the rest of the world.  

Thus Open Licensing will have a positive impact for each one, whether educator, students and even governments.

Hello to all

I am Lovena Sooben, educator at Patten College. Presently I join the course the MSc education technologies to keep me up to date with the new evolution.


Being a computer teacher, I was aware of all the new technologies but was not a good practitioner.

As technologies keep on changing, learning has took a new direction which now enable 'Education for All' .


Technologies have made education nearer to students and is now a life long process.  There is now no age limit in education to E-learning.