Why didn't I think of that!

I'm working on adding articles to Zotero this morning and came across a research piece done in the UK about open media classes at Conventry University in the UK. It caught my attention because of one of the names involved in this photography course - Jonathan Worth. I'd gotten to know about his work in open photography through a Virtually Connecting hangout.

As I'm peeking into the site where the course is described and results are outlined, I'm thinking of the connections to my own work in the MDL4000 course. That's when one statement hit me and I'm thinking - why didn't I think of that!

• move from broadcast model to collaborative and connected interactions
• inclusion of open students, working professionals and enthusiastic amateurs in conversations and feedback

When I meet teachers at conferences or talk to them about my course work, the often ask how they could take my course. I never made a connection to offering their participation in the course during the timeframe my own students are doing the course. It would be so easy to build external (outside of Lakehead University spaces) participation if I were to 'offer' this course to others as I teach it internally to the teacher candidates.

The #netNarr course that Alan Levine and Mia Zamora are currently teaching is done just like that! Why didn't I think of that! It may be too late for the MDL4000 course since it's on it's way out and wouldn't be sustainable in it's full year framework. But the 3239CDL course could certainly be opened to working professionals - not as an AQ formatted course since that requires university approval - as an open offering to engage with others in open digital spaces for self directed, self driven learning. I will need to think about this and talk to Mia and Alan to see how they've framed their course to engage others in openly connecting with their students.

Reference

Digital Alchemy and Networked Narratives http://netnarr.arganee.world/ 

McGill, L., & Gray, T. (2015). Open media classes at Coventry University. Jisc Final Evaluation Report 2015. Retrieved from http://comc.loumcgill.co.uk