Open content sounds great, but why should YOU consider using it?
The amount of content available on the internet is incredible, but it can be hard to sort through to find content that is reliable, appropriate, and relevant. Watch the video below to learn more about the purpose of open content in educational settings.With rising costs of tuition and textbooks, people all over the world are looking for a cheaper, or even free, way of accessing information. The answer is open content. As a public school teacher with a very limited budget, this emerging technological trend is extremely appealing to me. I have used music that is in the public domain from websites like Choral Public Domain Library and IMSLP for a long time. My students also love it when I show a YouTube video to introduce or further explain a concept that we are going over in class. However, I never really considered how much more content is available for free!
After browsing various open content resources, I have discovered three ways I can use open content to my advantage as an educator.
- Free classroom lessons/resources: I teach all classes that have no books or curriculum. Music educators are expected to design lessons and units that are standards based but are not usually given specific resources that they are required to use. With so much available to educators on open content sites, it only makes sense to use what has already been created! This content is not meant to replace you as the teacher; it is meant to supplement!
- Forums for sharing: While some open content sites are "read only" type of sites, others allow users to create their own courses that can be shared. Teachers looking to make content available to their students at home now have a way to make their content easily accessible. This type of sharing also allows for course materials to be stored online, making the course materials mobile.
- Professional development: Even though I am currently enrolled in a graduate program, I love exploring a wide variety of topics on my own time. I am currently studying education, but one day I may want to sharpen my music skills without actually enrolling in a formal course. Open content is a wonderful way to gain quality information from world-renowned establishments in an affordable and convenient manner. Plus, open content allows you to create your own a-la-carte learning experience. Who says you can't study physics and Greek mythology at the same time?!
I created a video (below) to help you get a few ideas about how to use my favorite open educational content source, iTunesU.
The icons below will take you to some of the most popular sources for educational open content.
