Talk:How going open with Moodle can save staff time

Type classification: this is a notes resource.

Feel free to add more ideas about pros and cons of an open educational approach as a LMS time saver for teachers.

Time-saving advantages of an open approach

Two types of openness (point out to the world and allow the world in) are involved in these examples of how an open educational approach with learning management systems (LMS), such as Moodle, can save a teacher time:

1. Provide links in an LMS site to open educational resources (point the LMS site out to world)
   1. Linking to external open educational resources (especially if they are not time-bound or unit-specific) from a LMS site minimises the need to export/import LMS content each time a new unit instance is offered.
   2. Using open educational material (e.g., in a open educational wiki environment) allows and encourages students and others to correct errors and to improve and peer review the material.
   3. Using educational resources allows for teaching in a wider variety of contexts (e.g., teaching/sharing in a non-university role or wanting to use the material in different institutions and/or learning management systems).
2. Make an LMS site openly accessible and its content openly licensed (open the LMS site to the world)
   1. Making an LMS site open to the world provides free advertising.
   2. Making an LMS site openly accessible allows students to start early and finish late without the instructor having to give additional permissions and access.

Risks or problems with using an open approach

1. The defaults are often closed, however there is a momentum towards openness in education.
2. Academic institutions are often ambiguous or hesitant about allowing open release of teaching materials and make claims of copyright of teaching materials.