free study units across twelve topic areas, each with a discussion forum. Director of OpenLearn, Prof. Andy Lane, stated the following as motivations for OpenLearn:
OpenLearn gives us an exciting opportunity to see what happens when we release many of the restrictions that we are used to; copyright, fees, and geography. We see Open Educational Resources as having revolutionary potential that we must study but also as a basis for further innovation. Freely accessible and changeable high quality content can underpin experiments in widening participation, use of mobile devices, development of tools for accessibility, geographically distributed experiments and community building. As a catalyst for further research Open Educational Resources have a significant part to play, as a possible indication of how people will learn in the future they are a vital move away from rigid structures that are causing their own pressures. We want to understand this future.[1]
Figure 6: OpenLearn LearningSpace
A non-free image has been removed from this page.
Screenshot of openlearn.open.ac.uk (archive) (Under CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK)
Other university initiatives worldwide include that of a National Digital Repository of learning resources established by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in India. The repository, eGyankosh, envisages to store, index, preserve, distribute and share the digital learning resources of open and distance learning (ODL) institutions in the country. The repository supports seamless aggregation and integration of learning resources in different formats such as self-instructional study materials, audio-video programmes, and archives of radio and television-based live interactive sessions.
- ↑ Patrick McAndrew: Motivations for OpenLearn: the Open University's Open Content Initiative http://kn.open.ac.uk/public/getfile.cfm?documentfileid=10026
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