History and Context

Having considered the importance of building ethical communities in distributed (usually digital) spaces, we now turn to learning about the historical context of distributed and open learning. While it may seem to some that online learning was discovered in March 2020 when COVID-19 forced the closure of face-to-face campuses across Canada and the world, the reality is that distributed learning environments have existed for thousands of years. Consider that the writings of Confucius, Socrates, the Christian Bible, the Qur’an, the Bhagavad Gita, and so many ancient writers were written down and preserved by being copied and spread through distributed networks of people interested in sharing their contents. That said, we are more particularly concerned about distributed and open learning in formally accredited environments, like universities and K-12 schools.

As you will see, there is also a long history of practice and research in these environments dating to the founding of the Open University in the UK in the late 1960s and even earlier. Similar programs began in other locations around the world, including in Canada, with the creation of Athabasca University. Throughout this time, various technologies have allowed for greater and greater access to formal education for remote learners. Radio, television, satellite communications, postal mail, fax, listservs, email, and now the internet have all expanded access to formal education opportunities for people who might not have otherwise been able to attend campus-based programs.

Understanding the history of distributed and open education is important because there is a tendency to forget where we have been and what we have learned along the way. It is possible that education is particularly susceptible to an ahistorical view because there is so much money being invested in ‘new’ technologies that are then marketed very aggressively as being the next big thing that will revolutionize education. Audrey Watters is a writer and speaker who focuses on the history of education technology. I encourage you to browse her blog.

One of the prominent themes that you will notice in this unit is that of ‘open’ learning as increasing access to learning opportunities for those who would otherwise be excluded. Weller et al., (2018) trace the history of openness in education and show that the idea is deeply rooted in the literature about distributed learning and Roberts et al., (2018) follow the history of Open Educational Practice (OEP). Roberts et al, use Conole’s definition of OEP as

…support[ing] the production, use and reuse of high quality open educational resources (OER) through institutional policies, which promote innovative pedagogical models, and respect and empower learners as co- producers on their lifelong learning path. OEP address the whole OER governance community: policy makers, managers and administrators of organizations, educational professionals and learners” (n.d., p. 112-3).

The resources and activities in this unit will help you situate distributed and open learning within the landscape of formal education. Please check your instructor’s feed for specific updates.

References

Photo by Ravi Sharma on Unsplash