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Sustaining Communities of Learning and Practice in Innovative Open Education Through a Culture of Cooperation and Networking
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Abstract
While new institutions of open education are springing up today, many that have hitherto operated traditional mode of instruction delivery are now espousing the open learning mode, alongside the traditional mode. This means increased opportunities for access to higher education, even as it suggests incidence of competitions among stakeholder institutions. How might open learning institutions foster a culture of networking and cooperation to sustain communities of learning and practice in innovative open education? How might threats of competitions among these communities function to the benefit of innovative open education and its institutions? I adopt secondary data collection and analysis approach, and I identify the fundamental rationales for embracing culture of cooperation. I hinge the discussion on John Rawls’ theory of cooperation that “social cooperation makes possible a better life for all than any would have, if each were to live solely by its own efforts”. The discussion also derives from O'Toole and Meier who perceive managerial networking as “establishing contacts with key actors in the environment for the purpose of identifying and implementing mutually acceptable, even attractive, jointly determined decision”. I conclude that communities of learning and practice in innovative open education could be built and/or sustained by fostering a culture of cooperation through public-private partnerships, and through creation of a directorate of international linkages, networking and cooperation that would commit to this mission.
PCF11 Plus: Beyond the Forum
Sub-Theme: Sustaining communities of learning and practice in innovative open education
Paper ID: 2655
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2025-09
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Commonwealth of Learning (COL)