LiDA100: Learning in a Digital Age

Unit 3: Open Education, Copyright and Open Licensing (LiDA103)

• 3.1: Why Open Matters

  

  In this introductory subunit, we commence our journey with a reflection on why open matters for learning in a digital age. We will consider the meaning of freedom to learn and the current state of access to published research knowledge in a digital world. The purpose of this subunit is to establish the context for open education, copyright and open licensing as it relates to learning in the 21st century. 

  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights commits to free education, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. The notion of “free” education is not extended to the tertiary level, despite the fact that in a digital world the marginal cost of replicating digital content is near zero. In this subunit, we explore the possibilities of open online initiatives to widen access to tertiary education in more affordable ways.

  Upon successful completion of this subunit you will be able to:
  

  • Explain the importance of sharing knowledge freely within the context of global demand for access to education.
  • Discuss the implications of why open matters for learning in a digital age.

• 3.2: Defining OER

  

  In this subunit we investigate what constitutes an Open Educational Resource (OER) and explore the implications of open education for learning in a digital age. 

  Upon successful completion of this subunit you will be able to:

  • Define what constitutes an Open Educational Resource (OER)
  • Explain the relationship between digital freedom and learning
  • Explain the shortcomings of copyright as a mechanism for regulating ownership of ideas in a digital world
  • Discuss the value of OER in solving real-world problems; and
  • Identify the implications of OER for learning in a digital age

• 3.3: Copyright

  

  This learning pathway on copyright focuses on your legal rights to copy. Copyright is the basis on which open licensing is built. Consequently you need a clear understanding of how copyright works in order to use or produce creative works that apply open licenses. Moreover, learning in a digital age requires knowledge of copyright because interactions and outputs of learning are published online increasing exposure to the risks associated with breach of copyright.

  Upon successful completion of this subunit you will be able to:

  • Explain the origins of copyright
  • Explain the scope, rights, protections, exceptions, and, transfer of copyright; and
  • Discuss the ethics associated with the ownership of ideas in the context of copyright and intellectual property

  
  

  
  

• 3.4: Copyright case study

  

  In this learning pathway we investigate a practical example of the application of your knowledge of copyright in a digital world using a case study. The case study links to authentic resources online and you will need to consult the sources, in particular the respective terms of reference. The case study uses a multiple choice format which provides relevant feedback for the answers you select.
  

  You will need a solid working knowledge of copyright and how it functions internationally in a digital world. We recommend that you review the subunit on copyright before attempting the case study.
  

  Upon successful completion of this subunit you will be able to:

  • Apply knowledge of copyright and the associated public domain within the context of global access to digital information and strategies to avoid breach of copyright in a digital world.

  
  
  

• 3.5: Creative Commons

  

  Creative Commons provides a set of free tools to help you legally share your knowledge and creativity. The Creative Commons licenses have become the de-facto international standard for open licensing of creative works. In this learning pathway we will learn how the Creative Commons licenses work.
  

  Upon successful completion of this subunit you will be able to:

  • Explain how creativity builds on the past;
  • Understand how Creative Commons uses copyright law to provide permissions to copy, distribute, modify and share creative works;
  • Describe the application of the components of the six Creative Commons licenses;
  • Identify the three layers of a Creative Commons license, namely the legal code, the license deed and the machine readable code; and
  • Explain the compatibility among different license types when remixing materials.

  
  

• 3.6: Remix game

  In this subunit you will participate in a game to test your knowledge of the remix compatibility of different license types using interactive questions with detailed feedback for correct and incorrect answers.

  Upon successful completion of this subunit you will be able to:

  • Determine the license types, including the public domain, that can legally be remixed together; and
  • Determine the permissible licenses for the derivative work based on the source materials used for the remixed

  
  

  
  

• 3.7: Dimensions of Openness

  

  In this learning pathway we introduce additional dimensions of openness in education. You will choose a dimension for further investigation and publish a learning reflection outlining the implications of your findings for learning in a digital age.

  Upon successful completion of this subunit you will be able to:

  • Justify your choice of a dimension of openness for further investigation.
  • Publish a learning reflection documenting your experience and insights gained from your desk-top study of a dimension of openness; and
  • Identify the implications of a dimension of openness for learning in a digital age.

  
  
  

• LiDA103 Edubit Assessment

  Assessment Competency: Develop and effectively apply knowledge of copyright, open licensing and license remix compatibility utilising open education practices to support tertiary learning in a global digital context.
  

  • Notes about Assessments, Credit, and Transfer Page
  • LiDA103 Edubit Instructions Page
  • LiDA103 Edubit Rubric Page

• Course Feed for Unit 3 (LiDA103)

  The course feed harvests learner posts from selected Internet sites. You can post to the feed by logging in to the course resource site.