Initial Reflections on Open Licensing

This is an interesting writing and course for me at this time. The timing of the course, coming some few months after the demise of Nelson Mandela and listening to Arch. Desmond Tutu is both memorable. These are the two heavyweights I revere most in South Africa.
Two things are striking about the two of them and the subject matter. Firstly, I have heard the word Ubuntu from Mandela before and it is actually the Operating System I am using on my Laptop. Ubuntu is a Linux distro and it is free and open source software, freely licensed. I knew the name Ubuntu means human kindness and that rings in my head but this is the first time I am merging the words with what creative commons or licensing as it were has offered.
Secondly, Arch. Desmond Tutu introducing creative commons in terms of software been produced really brought alive the subject matter to me.

Yes, Creative Commons has been well illustrated to me the more in the initial class and I have had a deeper look at the varieties of the licenses that are available. I can both use it properly and bring it to the notice of more academia around me that still move with the mentality of proprietary (hoarding and safeguarding information). How licensing made open education resources (OER) come alive is now very clear. Most people use resources on the Internet and never for once think of how it was made available for them to even copy, not to talk of using it valuably. It’s really interesting that there is no how you can be a 21st Century educator or researcher that you will not have made use of an OER. Open Licensing makes it available.
My College just adopted a research policy and this is an ample opportunity to introduce all these to them clearly: licensing, open education resources (OER), free and open software, creative commons and how they all help to foster the learning for tomorrow. They already shape today and the impact is set for tomorrow since knowledge is progressional.

References
Ubuntu (philosophy). (2014, February 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:57, February 18, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ubuntu_(philosophy)&oldid=593816597

My MOOCs Journey!

I have had some bit of time with MOOCs in recent times. My first MOOC was actually the first started by Edx in March 2012 on “Circuits and Electronics” (6.002x). Thanks to this post for reminding me. Wow! I have come a long way with MOOCs already then and I can say one or two things confidently.

From then on I have tried to get the time to take on more MOOCs. The Computer Science class CS50x by David Malan was also my favourite.

Of all the MOOCs I participated in 2012, I was able to finish just the one by my friend Kelvin Thompson the Blendkit Course. It was fascinating for me and I had a one on one relationship with the coordinator. The interesting thing to me is that we have authored two presentation on the Sloan's Annual Educational Conferences based on our interactions on the Blendkit Course.

This is just a brief so I will close on this: MOOCs has transformed my educational and professional journey and I am seeking ways to make it possible for more people to get on the jolly train of MOOCs because it is fun.

Thanks #OCL4Ed for making me to write this.

A Director @ICTP, Trieste having some fun with the Sax