Re: [WikiEducator] Comments on the US College Scene: OER directions

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:51:39 -0700

To a certain extent the Obama administration still continues to be substantially on the side of local grassroots organizing and the so called 99% and has been supportive of higher education and especially community colleges.  He has used the resources of the Executive Branch fairly well, but the Congress is very divided and even many Democrats really support big business, big banks, and the growth mentality.  The Supreme Court was "stacked" with conservative Republicans during the G.W. Bush years (partly because of a quirk of fate...the more liberal judges retired or died and the sitting President had the right to nominate new ones). lThe chaos of Congress and the alignment of the Court with big business makes it hard to really work with those in power in any but the most general ways.  The various "Occupy" movement have rattled a few cages and have won some skirmishes but do are struggling to define an agenda or even agendas that are clear and supportable.  I find that since I have limited personal energy and resources I tend to focus on enabling my undergraduate and graduate students to be active in their own geographical communities and communities of interest while encouraging them to connect with the world through various meta-organizations on the net.  In my own life I have chosen to be active in a couple of local areas and to support wikieducator and the OER-u and associated movement as best I can.  It may not change the world profoundly but I find it a fairly satisfying way to invest the time of my life.   Good to talk with you and to join with you and so many other wikieducators in our common vocation.  Joyce McKnight, Associate Professor, State University of New York: Empire State College

[email protected] wrote: -----
To: [email protected]
From: Don
Sent by: [email protected]
Date: 11/02/2011 02:19PM
Subject: Re: [WikiEducator] Comments on the US College Scene: OER directions

Thanks Joyce- Always interesting to have a conversation with someone thousands of km away in another country.  Of course it is really cool when the grassroots organizing and the direction from "on high" work in sync.  

On Tue, Nov 1, 2011 at 2:32 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:
Good point Don.   I have nearly given up looking for "salvation from on high" at least in the US, but I believe firmly in grassroots organizing and the work we are doing at wiki-educator and the OER-u is a great example of that...even if the grass is literally spread all over the world.   JMcK

-----[email protected] wrote: -----
To: WikiEducator <[email protected]>
From: Don Beadle
Sent by: [email protected]
Date: 11/01/2011 04:45PM
Subject: [WikiEducator] Comments on the US College Scene: OER directions

referencing The Chronicle of Higher Education, http://chronicle.com/article/2-Year-Colleges-Get
Details-of/126006#top  2-Year Colleges Get Details of $2-Billion Grant
Program

In 2009, President Obama announced his hopes that post secondary
education, at least a years worth, would again become widespread in
the USA. His program, the American Graduation Initiative, was designed
to support  Community Colleges, to the tune of $50 Billion. This sum,
diminished due to various government interactions, was reduced to $2
Billion spread over 4 years, between 2011 and 2015. The idea,
supporting institutions that are examining, refining, and improving
their practice is fine.  As is the student oriented goal of providing
access to a level of education that will help the recently
dispossessed gain skills and credentials to make them more employable.

But, the whole process is an example of how a top down approach can
get bogged down in bureaucracy and inertia.  Compare this to the
international, consultative and bottom up approach of OERu.

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