The Philosophy of Open Learning

Markus Deimann received his PhD in educational science from the University of Erfurt, Germany and his MA in educational science and political science from the University of Mannheim, Germany. He is a visiting scholar at Florida State University and Research Fellow at the Open Learning Network (Olnet) at The Open University.
Michael A. Peters is Professor of Education at Waikato University, New Zealand and Emeritus Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is Executive Editor of Educational Philosophy and Theory, Policy Futures in Education, E-Learning & Digital Media and Knowledge Cultures, and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

In this book, internationally recognized scholars provide in-depth insight into the emerging field of open education. The Philosophy of Open Learning provides an overview of the current debates and introduces the reader to the overall discourse on open education. The broad range of topics, including MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and OERs (Open Educational Resources) is aimed at demonstrating that open education has emerged as a new principle for organizing higher education. Based on this idea, the book covers various issues that are backed up by thorough philosophical reflections that provide orientation for the heated debates. Open education is discussed in its various imbrications to other open movements, such as open access, and its relevance for education over the last fifteen years.

The Philosophy of Open Learning provides an overview of current debates and introduces the reader to the overall discourse on open education. The broad range of topics, including Massive Open Online Courses and Open Educational Resources is aimed at demonstrating that open education has emerged as a new principle for organizing higher education.

Contents: Martin Weller: Foreword - Markus Deimann/Michael A. Peters: Introduction: Open Education - The Past, the Present and the Future - Robert Farrow: Constellations of Openness - Michael A. Peters: Openness and the Intellectual Commons - Petra Missomelius/Theo Hug: Opening Up Education: Opportunities, Obstacles and Future Perspectives - David Small: MOOCs, Neoliberalism and the Role of the University - Jeremy Knox: Posthuman Openings: Looking Beyond Technology Instrumentalism - Peter B. Sloep/Robert Schuwer: Of Two Contrasting Philosophies That Underpin Openness in Education and What That Entails - Richard Hall: Another World Is Possible: The Relationship Between Open Higher Education and Mass Intellectuality - Martin Oliver: Open Access, Freedom and Exclusion - Michael A. Peters/Richard Heraud/Andrew Gibbons: Open Learning and Social Innovation: Freedom and Democratic Culture