Open Education Practices: A User Guide for Organisations/Incentives and Rewards
After more than seven years of social media disrupting almost every sector in industrialised societies, more than 80% of lecturers still report never using social media in their work (Kamenetz, 2010) . Many have argued, and some have demonstrated the benefits that the Internet and social media offer educational objectives, but the majority of practitioners in higher education and training remain unconvinced. More than 80% have never edited, joined in a discussion, or peer reviewed a featured Wikipedia article. More than 80% have never loaded a video to Youtube, created a playlist, or embedded a video in their educational material. More than 80% have never engaged in a blogging network, or used an RSS reader. More than 80% of university and college graduates are therefore going out into their communities and professions without their teachers exposing them to social media in their curriculum.
What is the reason for 80% of lecturers choosing not to use social media in their work? Apart from a plethora of anecdotal reasons expressed throughout the blogging networks of educational developers, some research has focused on this sort of question. Graham Attwell (2010) recently reviewed a range of research  that found a combination of influences were causing the slow uptake of social media in education. For example:
- Experiences, predispositions and attitudes of people before they became teachers;
- Prior knowledge and expectations of the profession of 'teacher';
- A disconnect between how people use the Internet for personal use, and a lack of confidence in how they would use it professionally;
- The pressures and restraints that institutions place on teachers, preventing them from developing confidence and awareness;
- A lack of motivation, engagement, interest or commitment to the use of the Internet and social media in teaching practice;
- A prevalence for institutions to drive technology use which is based on institutional concerns rather than the opportunities for teaching and learning.
What institutions can do
By reviewing their policies, procedures, rewards and incentives, institutions can address all but the first two reasons in the short term. In the long term, they can address teachers' preconceived ideas, dispositions and attitudes, and their prior knowledge and expectations of the profession by introducing positive discrimination to influence changes in culture within a reasonable time frame, therefore, making up for lost time. This long term planning should aim for establishing senses of autonomy, mastery and purpose (Pink, 2009)
Institutions can do the following:
- Look at the practices of teachers and students who are confident with social media (both for their personal and professional use), and open education and research practices, and consider how such use might scale within the institution;
- Give teachers time to explore, 'play' and share experiences in using Internet and social media in their work (Hegarty, Penman, Kelly, Jeffrey, Coburn & McDonald, 2010);
- Offer a range of staff development opportunities to raise capability and enhance self-efficacy in ICT, including project-based approaches and support for communities of practice to develop (Hegarty, Penman, Brown, Coburn, Gower, Kelly et al., 2005);
- Recognise, incentivise and reward practices that show motivation, engagement, interest or commitment in using Internet and social media for teaching, research and learning (Hegarty et al., 2005);
- Review technology and support services that are provided and maintained by the institution, and identify where they serve primarily an institutional need (Hegarty, et al, 2010);
- Use discoveries in step one to inform discussions on alternative ideas for the provision of technologies and services;
- Use autonomy, mastery and purpose as guiding principles in this work;
- If Skype is evidently a popular personal technology for telephone and videophone use, an institutional support service could work towards making such a device usable within the institution, and sponsor meetings and discussions on how it can be used professionally - such as international guest lectures, project collaboration, etc..
- If uStream, Youtube, Blip.tv, and Internet Archive are popular services offering functionality to video record, live stream, store, deliver and socially network video audio visual content, then institutions would be advised to ensure these services are usable on their network, and sponsor meetings and discussions on how they can by used professionally.
- If Wikipedia is a popular information source for teachers, students and the wider community, then policies and practices can be devised to encourage engagement, participation and critical appreciation of the project and its processes.
- If the institution has policies and procedures that effectively block or discourage teachers or students engaging in these services professionally, such as Intellectual Property and Copyright policies, or Network Security procedures, then make it a priority to review and change these.
- If the institution financially rewards practices that circumvent engagement with social media, such as the rewards for successfully publishing in elite and exclusive academic journals, then balance this investment with financial rewards for teachers and academics who academically engage in using open journals and popular social media outlets.
- If the institution invests in marketing, consider the complimentary value to both brand awareness and educational outcomes, by investing marketing budgets into the production of education and research media for open publishing on popular social media channels.
Attwell, G. (2010). Teachers Dispositions. Pontydysgu Bridge to Learning. Retrieved from http://www.pontydysgu.org/2010/08/teachers-dispositions/
Hegarty, B., Penman, M., Kelly, O., Jeffrey, L., Coburn, D. & McDonald, J. (2010). Digital Information Literacy: Supported Development of Capability in Tertiary Environments. New Zealand: Ministry of Education. Retrieved from http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/tertiary_education/80624
Hegarty, Penman, Brown, Coburn, Gower, Kelly et al., (2005) Approaches and implications of eLearning Adoption in Relation to Academic Staff Efficacy and Working Practice Final Report. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education. Retrieved from http://cms.steo.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/8C221A73-CF28-4CC9-83E8-B8FD7D9C1164/0/ALETfinalReport251006.pdf
Kamenetz, A. (2010) DIY U: Edupunks, Edupreneurs, and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing Company.
Pink, D. (2009). The Surprising Science of Motivation. TED Talks. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrkrvAUbU9Y
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