When I first learned about OER-Enabled Education Pedagogy, I never considered the idea that social media can be a platform that could be used to create, use, and share open educational resources (OERs) (Wiley and Hilton, 2018). This is because I believe that social media is not originally created to support learning and there might be a lot of distractions there. However, when we were tasked to explore Twitter and check the TwitterChat in #edci339, I discovered that it is possible for social media like Twitter to support learning.
One of the things discussed in the TwitterChat is how the utilization of openness and sharing within educational context can enable greater flexibility and access for learning. I believe that more than anything else, education should be flexible and accessible. This is because, if education remains rigid and inaccessible, education would not be able to serve its purpose which is to preserve and provide for change (Bass, 2008). ‘Open’ platforms like twitter and other social media can make education flexible and accessible because it can help learners and educators find alternative means to learn. Through Twitter, educators and learners can discover different tools and resources that can aid their learning. Additionally, learners and educators will have the option in what manner they would like to learn a certain topic. For instance, if a certain learner prefers watching videos than reading books, videos are readily available on Twitter. Furthermore, Twitter is also accessible for as long as the users have an internet connection. This means that students can learn in their homes, in their preferred cafeteria, or while waiting for the bus. More so, because ‘open’ platforms are accessible, it also allows collaboration between students, educators, experts, and etc. Furthermore, ‘open’ platforms like twitter also allow learners and educators to share different kinds of content. However, more than sharing different kinds of content, learners and educators can also share tips and advice. For instance, in the TwitterChat, one participant shared that in addition to twitter, instagram and facebook can also be utilized to enable OER-Enabled Pedagogy. The participant also added that Zoom or Facetime would be perfect for virtual conferences.
In conclusion, Twitter can be used for OER-Enabled Pedagogy. In addition to twitter, educators should also be willing to explore other social media platforms in order to accommodate more learners. After all, in addition to being flexible and accessible, education should also be inclusive.
References
Bass, R. V. (2008). The purpose of education. The Educational Forum, 61(2), 128-132. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131729709335242
Wiley, D., & Hilton III, J. L. (2018). Defining OER-enabled pedagogy. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 19(4). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v19i4.3601