Open Pedagogy

Open Pedagogy is an educational style that relies on student agency. You need participation and open discussion. It’s a very interesting way of teaching because it incorporates the students to shape and create a learning experience they want.

I actually experienced Open Pedagogy to what some may consider an extreme. I went to a school from kindergarten to grade nine that was entirely an Open Pedagogy concept. We didn’t have classrooms; instead, we had big “pods” that were not split up by class but by grade. All learning happened in these big rooms, and we were expected to work together and create big projects—no homework or tests.

It was an interesting schooling experience and definitely a shock once I went to high school because structured lessons, tests, and independent study were unfamiliar to me. Through my experience in that school, I’ve grown to love Open Pedagogy. I understand it has its time and place, but without a doubt in my mind, it is the easiest way to get students to engage in what they are learning. Studies have shown that Open Pedagogy can increase student engagement and motivation by allowing them to take ownership of their learning, leading to deeper understanding and retention of knowledge (DeRosa & Jhangiani, 2017).

Does Open Pedagogy Align with Our Topic?

My experience in an open pedagogy environment lets me attest to its effectiveness in engaging students. This approach also aligns with my belief that students learn best when they have that control over their education. According to Hegarty (2015), Open Pedagogy fosters “collaborative knowledge creation” and “active participation,” which helps students become more invested in their learning. Its alignment with our topic definitely can be suited because of the struggle and the unique situation of health and diet. No two diets are gonna be the same, and you can’t stick to a book to tell you what to do—you have to experiment and see what works for you. Open Pedagogy does not prepare students for rigid academic or workplace environments, but when it comes to a fluid, moldable discussion like dieting, it definitely has a place. Research supports that Open Pedagogy can be particularly effective in subjects requiring critical thinking and adaptability, as it encourages learners to question assumptions and engage with real-world applications (Wiley & Hilton, 2018).

Does Open Pedagogy Have a Place in Our Interactive Learning Design?

Incorporating Open Pedagogy in our interactive learning design could be very beneficial, especially in promoting a collaborative problem-solving environment. However, its effectiveness is highly dependent on the subject matter.

I think our learning design would benefit the most from a hybrid structure, incorporating some aspects of Open Pedagogy. Since Open Pedagogy allows learners to shape their learning, we could integrate student-generated content, such as letting groups create their own case studies on fad diets or developing peer-reviewed meal plans instead of just following provided materials.

References 

Blaschke, L. M. (2012). Heutagogy and lifelong learning: A review of heutagogical practice and self-determined learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 13(1), 56-71. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v13i1.1076

DeRosa, R., & Jhangiani, R. (2017). Open pedagogy. In E. Mays (Ed.), A guide to making open textbooks with students(pp. 7-20). Rebus Community. https://press.rebus.community/makingopentextbookswithstudents/chapter/open-pedagogy/

Hegarty, B. (2015). Attributes of open pedagogy: A model for using open educational resources. Educational Technology, 55(4), 3-13. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283908830_Attributes_of_Open_Pedagogy_A_Model_for_Using_Open_Educational_Resources

Wiley, D., & Hilton, J. (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

Comments

Hey Conrad, this is a great breakdown of what inquiry based learning is! you’re connection to our topic is very strong, especially in terms of misinformation in health. The use of information from your own inquiry especially from Canada’s Food Guide is very strong for the importance you put on questioning and evaluating social media myths. another topic you could maybe go into is the importance of balancing the independence of an individual with the guidance their given as lots of information conflicts on the web which can be confusing and overwhelming. Overall a very strong study on what inquiry based learning is congrats!

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