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"Traditional educators, classrooms, and brick-and-mortar schools are no longer necessary to access information. Instead, things like blogs and wikis, as well as remote collaborations and an emphasis on 'critical thinking' skills are the coins of the realm in this new kingdom. Yet the national dialogue on education reform focuses on using technology to update the traditional education model, failing to reassess the fundamental design on which it is built. In 'Why School?,' educator, author, parent and blogger Will Richardson challenges traditional thinking about education - questioning whether it still holds value in its current form. How can schools adjust to this new age? Or students? Or parents? In this provocative read, Richardson provides an in-depth look at how connected educators are beginning to change their classroom practice. Ultimately, 'Why School?' serves as a starting point for the important conversations around real school reforms that must ensue, offering a bold plan for rethinking how we teach our kids, and the consequences if we don't."

The editorial board invites articles and reviews of works that explore ideas in teacher education, as well as broader and more inclusive discussions in education. We envision works that augment the latitude and significance of the idea of education, while acknowledging the ubiquitous growth of the digital arts and sciences in the everyday practice of life and how that might (in)form notions of formal and informal education. We encourage the submission of high quality works that travel across the qualitative and quantitative research landscape engendering conversations in thoughtful and innovative ways.This may include but is not limited to works in the following areas: ethnography, poststructuralist, postmodern and postcolonial approaches, queer theory, art-based research, bricolage, narrative inquiry, autoethnography, critical theory, phenomenology, hermeneutics, or mixed methods.

This user guide is for educational organisations interested in developing open education practices using popular social media. It is based on an analysis of the Otago Polytechnic experience 2006-2009, where a small group of teachers used social media to develop open education practices. 

As we continue to discuss important issues such as access, affordability, and personalized learning in higher education, we would be helped by having a richer understanding of the changes that are already occurring. I would like to offer a more descriptive view to capture the growing number of approaches enabled by educational technology. The following is certainly not exhaustive, since the field is rapidly changing. In addition, not all of these models will end up thriving in the long term. My intention is simply to describe some of the primary models and ideally to reduce some of the confusion evident in public discussions.

"Exploring the benefits of Open Educational Resources for media education. Coventry Open Media Classes is a JISC funded project giving open access to educational resources, networks of subject specialists, professional practitioners and learning communities"

This post will review existing literature on Open Educational Resources, introducing five critiques: 1.) An under-theorisation of 'openness', in which the concepts of positive and negative liberty will be used to suggest a neglect of coherent theorisation concerning the practice of self-directed learning. 2.) The simultaneous privileging and rejection of institutional authority, where OER literature will be shown to endorse the reputations of established institutions while claiming liberation from them. 3.) The diminishing of the role of pedagogy, in which OER will be aligned with an untheorised learner-centred model of education. 4.) Humanistic assumptions of unproblematic self-direction and autonomy, and 5.) an alignment with the needs of capital, in which a Foucauldian interpretation of subjectivity will offer alternative perspectives on the notions of power and emancipation in OER discourse. It is suggested that these critiques may provide a framework for OER to develop a theoretically rigorous area of scholarship.

"Every minute, three hundred new learners are born into this world. How can TED play a role in enriching the education of these individuals? How can TED enrich the education of the billions of learners around the globe? We need your help to answer these questions. In a few weeks, TED will be launching an online forum. We're calling it the TED-ED Brain Trust. We're seeking the expertise of visionary educators, students, organizations, filmmakers & other creative professionals to guide, galvanize & ultimately lead this exciting new initiative. To express your interest in joining the TED-ED Brain Trust, please click the button above to fill out the short form. To invite capable colleagues, please share this page. We will notify you when we launch the Trust."

An Avalanche is Coming sets out vividly the challenges ahead for higher  education, not just in the US or UK but around the world. Just as we've  seen the forces of technology and globalisation transform sectors such  as media and communications or banking and finance over the last two  decades, these forces may now transform higher education. The solid  classical buildings of great universities may look permanent but the  storms of change now threaten them.

"Lumen helps educational institutions reduce textbook costs and improve student success using open educational resources and learning analytics."

This paper provides a brief review of blended learning as a didactic method, and discusses the issues and challenges of using blended learning models in post-secondary education. Blended learning refers to mixed modes of instruction that combine traditional face-to-face classroom teaching methods and online learning materials. The paper will address challenges faced by large classrooms with a diverse student body, and the ways blended learning models can help alleviate those concerns (i.e. technologically savvy students, the need for course scheduling flexibility). In addition, a case study of blended learning in higher education in the context of a unique first year Introductory Psychology program at McMaster University will be discussed. Lastly, the important learning benefits offered by blended learning systems, along with the potential barriers to their implementation will be addressed.

We support the creation, sharing, and proliferation of effective, affordable, and quality textbook content. We embrace disruptive technologes, open education resources and new higher education models that bring together for-profit, nonprofit, and government entities.

"Characteristics and potential of Github for Education"

An open textbook (via @Saylor) Educational Psychology - teaching for learning

voicEd.ca is an attempt to create a place where some of that conversation can take place. Gathering around a commitment to quality education and schooling, voicEd.ca is being imagined as a multi-author  virtual space where participants-parents, students, teachers, administrators, policy-makers, community-members-can express their deepest hopes and dreams for Canadian education, speak openly about issues and concerns and work to craft a common vision of our national learning systems as we move further into the 21st century.

"This website gathers and publishes evidence about the impact of open educational resources (OER). It is maintained by the OER Research Hub project. The purpose is to help people understand the impact of open educational resources (OER)."

Colleges and universities have no reason to view OER as a threat. On the contrary, OER can help institutions provide higher education to rapidly increasing numbers of students and lifelong learners. Traditional colleges and universities, with their experience and reputation, are in a good position to further develop online teaching, testing, learning communities, and certification. Those that produce high-quality knowledge, teaching, and students have little to fear, and much to gain, from Open Educational Resources.

DERN is a network for, leaders, researchers and educators interested in the use of digital technologies for learning. Users of DERN may have an interest in ICT, media, pedagogy, emerging technologies and related areas and are probably well briefed in the area of elearning research, as well as scholars seeking details about what research has been done, possibly for their own research purposes.

Create a short video that explains the benefits and promise of Open Educational Resources for teachers, students and schools everywhere.

"we don't educate people as others wished, or as I wished. We have a lousy product .."

"Here are two quick YouTube videos on how and why educators can use Twitter to connect with other educators from all around the world in an effort to better their craft and develop professionally."