I just got done browsing MIT's open course ware site. Wow! I looked mostly at the literature courses and was impressed by all of the free resources, from readings and books to supplementary resources and syllabuses. Looking at the required assignments should spark ideas to be applied in individual teaching settings. I wish I had many more hours in the day to use these resources for my own learning...maybe after I finish this MEd degree!
I would hope to see more institutions use this approach to improve teaching and learning. Having access to a variety of resources, being able to add to and modify the content, would allow teachers to individualize instruction for their students in more cases.
That would be a good thing for all.
The first time I explored MIT's open source library I felt the same way. What an incredibly underused resource this is! There seems to be some growing momentum associated with making material available like this however there is probably an equal amount of fear. I have observed that k-12 teachers tend to be much more supportive of the idea of sharing material. I have heard that the best teachers are the best thieves. They always steal all their best stuff. College professors do not operate in the same environment so they tend to be much more protective. "Publish or perish" doesn't foster the open source mentality
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