Bryan Williams

Authored Comments

I think the advent of open source educational technology is representative of a significant shift in consciousness, in terms of the most fundamental of all human acts; that is, to learn and to adapt. Taking the learning process out of the hands of commercial gatekeepers and those "experts" who feel their mission is to control how and what people learn, will be the benchmark of success or failure of OS ed-tech IMO. Idea's, which are at the heart of learning, are only dangerous when no greater context is permitted (i.e., other ideas). Our current system of business-as-usual does not promote an enlargement of the context and freedom of ideas. OS ed-tech does by lowering the entry barriers.

Life in the 21st century now presents us the idea of the <cite>democratization of the learning process,</cite> putting the responsibility to learn and to adapt squarely where it belongs. With each one of us, rather than teacher or organization! Those constructs will act as facilitators and learning opportunity hubs; very important roles, but not the most important.

OS ed-tech can make everyone a teacher and a learner, which is how it should be (no one is a know-it-all). We all have knowledge and skills that might be passed along to others who see a value proposition, despite what conventional thinking may imply. OS ed-tech dramatically reduces the price of admittance to the theater of learning. With this, each person can potentially see their part in social play, the role they have adopted and the competencies they exhibit. It will be very difficult to hide from that fact when greater and more affordable learning opportunities exist. Perhaps that will make us all more accountable to the quality of our play - the human drama, through more discrimination in the learning selections we make and the level of our participation.