Learning about Copyright in Open Academia

The first workshop on how to apply the open academic model in practice was hosted Monday March 29, 2010. In this workshop they explored copyright options and how to find, use and contribute free media resources. On their open academia blog you can watch the recorded workshop and read "how did the workshop go?" I think the workshop helped people from the look of it. What do you think?

The same day as the workshop took place I had an idea myself about how open academia could be applied in practice. At the time I did not know a workshop was to take place the same day. The idea centered around whether a non-profit organization to provide an open education standard with the intent to be listed as a recognized accredited agency by United States Department of Education could feasibly be started.

I mentioned my idea to some people as part of a discussion we were having. One person suggested that if I could somehow pull that off, people would likely be lining up at my doorstep wanting to hire me. I think this idea might be worth exploring further as part of some open academia project, even if only as a theoretical idea or thought experiment. Perhaps this is one way open management of open academic resources might be achieved?

Learning about Open Academia

Is using an open academic model the answer that Universities need to have a competitive edge in the battle to get students to willingly pay for the honor of attending their classes? I think Universities can succeed with this model if they can embrace a combination of green technologies to reduce or eliminate energy costs, learning materials designed around an open curriculum standard that is released under a copyleft license to reduce or eliminate curriculum costs, a system whereby students teach students after the first year or semester to reduce or eliminate teaching costs, and businesses help by both giving students on the job experience and by reducing or eliminating remaining costs.

I think a copyleft curriculum could be easier for Universities to change and adapt for their specific needs, and be of a higher quality to boot, whereas a closed curriculum and curriculum standard is designed by committee.

Ads on tv are always promising a great deal for the low low payment of $19.95 a month for x months. Could the future be Universities where the cost of attending is as low as $19.95 USD a month for 4 years? I think Universities can do it, but at $957.60 for 4 years per student that would be a great reduction in cost which might take a lot of persuasion to pull off. I wonder which leads to bankruptcy faster today health care or an education.

A University embracing open academia is also supposed to have open management . I will surely blog about that someday once I understand the concept and how it would work.