Academic output as collateral damage

Post on 06-May-2015

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I argue that higher education can be seen as a long tail content production engine. Simple multi-media & distribution means that digital outputs are a by-product of what academics do normally, & this is an alternative to broadcast.

Transcript of Academic output as collateral damage

Academic output as

Martin Weller

Or

My adventures as a lo-fi educational ‘broadcaster’

Public engagement day

Public engagement = broadcast

What about…

Story of a slidecast

[http://www.slideshare.net/mweller/future-of-education-3475415]

Took 2 hours

2700 views

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mybloodyself/1806208781/

Didn’t need a script meeting

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bookgrl/482244151/

Didn’t think about audience

Could do it for free

http://edfutures.com/contributions

Required:– minimal tech skill– Familiarity and

confidence– Network– Store of images

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammy0716/3005591006/

None of these are specialist skills

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leader_maximo/2974206217/

Big and Little OER

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marinacast/2235316998/

http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=n6jt5bqMqY0&feature=related

Different reactions

Different types of reaction/use

What does this mean?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/78042080@N00/2303709058/

Not end of broadcasting

Higher education is a long tail content engine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35211570@N00/82616861/

Research papers

Lectures/Teaching content

Conferences Data

Code

IdeasDebate

Frictionless broadcasting means

• Don’t need to worry about usage• Don’t need to justify costs• Don’t need specific projects

An alternative means to achieve many of the goals we currently struggle to realise

Public engagementOutreachOpennessReuseEfficiency(?)

Public engagement

Broadcast

High costLarge audienceV selectiveHigh compromise

Book Public lecture

Lowish costSmall audienceReasonably openLow compromise

Digital outputs

• Low cost (free?)• Small but unpredictable audience• Open• No compromise• High reuse potential• Different distribution

Embrace unpredictability

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--viB3zTznA]

Yeah, but who pays?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22287673@N05/3057330737/

We already do this stuff, but hide it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomharpel/290401/

What about time?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bensutherland/3716094925/

Clay Shirky: Cognitive surplus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyoNHIl-QLQ

Project-less

Organisations understand projects, they have responsibility, budget, objectives.

Pic: Patrick McAndrew

Projects isolate practice

Bottom up/frictionless approach doesn’t fit this model

How to promote the collateral damage approach

http://www.flickr.com/photos/david_a_lea/3257134149/

Digital scholarship at the OU

1. Promote digital scholarship2. Work on recognition3. Research current practice

Disco.open.ac.uk

Podstars

http://podstars.wetpaint.com/page/Your+stuff

Potential barriers

• Will the financial crisis stop such nebulous approaches?

• Will academics start doing it in sufficient quantities? • Will free services last?

I want to explore…

• What are the contexts in which this is (in)appropriate?

• What is relationship with BIG broadcasting/publishing?

• What are financial implications?• Lines of responsibility

What can we do that we couldn’t do before?

Don’t ask me about rights…

• Edtechie.net• Slideshare.net/mweller• http://www.youtube.com/user/edtechie#g/

c/1A96B142EEB2AD8C