STLHE 2015

In recent years there has been increasing attention given to conceptions of “openness” in teaching, learning, and scholarship. Openness in education can take many forms: the use of open educational resources in the classroom; opening access to learning through venues like MOOCs; or the use of open, networked, participatory practices to share and collaborate (Price 2013). While some see only benefits of openness, others worry about the possible implications for academic institutions, identities, and practices (Weller, 2011). Yet as openness gains popularity, academics today find themselves in a position where they can either shape, or be shaped by, these practices (Veletsianos & Kimmons, 2012). During this roundtable discussion, we will look at some of the emerging practices of open and networked scholarship and unpack some of the scholarly and media discourse that surrounds it. In particular we will consider: 

- the practices of scholarly participation in online spaces (blogs, social media) and the notions of identity and digital literacy they entail
- the place of open educational resources (open textbooks, open journals, open online courses) and questions of quality, access, and accreditation 
- the impact of open and networked scholarship on higher education systems and practices (pedagogy, tenure)

Participants will be asked to take an active part in the discussion, and will leave with an increased understanding of what it means to be an open and networked scholar and how open practices might benefit their practice. 

Price, D. (2013). Open: How we'll work, live and learn in the future. [Kindle version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com 

Weller, M. (2011). The digital scholar: How technology is transforming scholarly practice. [Kindle version]. Retrieved from Amazon.co.uk.

Veletsianos, G. & Kimmons, R. (2012). Assumptions and Challenges of Open Scholarship. The International Review Of Research In Open And Distance Learning, 13(4), 166-189.