This post supplements an earlier review of Rice Connections, an open learn solution founded by Rice University Engineer professor, Richard Baraniuk. His vision of the future of textbooks and learning comports with the doctrinal basis of the open learning projects I am learning about in this OERcourse.
Mr. Baraniuk draws an analogy to the current state of the music industry, flattened by digitization and currently symbolized by the freedom to create, rip, mix and burn. In the ideal future learning society, the “shutouts”, those unable to access or share knowledge, will acquire a voice. His dream is a knowledge eco-system powered by XML, which will permit the endless recombination of materials and ideas.
Perhaps due to my education and experience, I am fascinated by the far-reaching consequences of Mr. Baraniuk’s vision, with respect to intellectual property rights. As far as I can gather, the latter will no longer exist, assuming it ever really did – in a philosophical sense. Certainly, the world will not fall apart without the “middlemen” in the publishing industry, all of whom merely serve to drive up costs. However the question remains whether the high cost of education at institutions such as MIT will be similarly affected. I think not, but only time will provide the answer to that question.
Regarding pedagogy, it appears that no one will be able to denote him/her self as a “teacher”, since each student is deemed to be a creator. This raises the fundamental issue of quality control, a significant one in my mind. The answer to this issue may be Mr. Baraniuk’s theory of community authored material subject to a peer review process, much like what may be in place at Wikipedia. I suggest that if the ideal vision plays out, all “free riders” will be forced to step up or be left behind and the profession as “Educator”, as well as the attendant Teaching industry, will no longer be able to sustain itself.
