As I am starting (finally!) to dig a bit further into OE, I am feeling inspired! I work as a prof at a local college and am always wondering how I can make this experience "better" for the students with limited time, space, and attention spans. I also spend much time as a learner, taking classes and completing additional certifications. Some of the courses are set up well, but many of the online courses are a basic formula: read (sometimes poorly written) lecture notes, complete journal/discussion board, write essay. Then I reflect on my own teaching - is this what I do to my students?!?

My questions/directions for this course are currently these: How can I as an educator push the boundaries and provide a course that both pulls together and produces some of the materials? How can I as a student better supplement my own learning? Can I foster some motivation within my students to better supplement their own learning?

The concept that stands out to me the most from the mind-map pen sketch (as remedial as it may be!) is FREEDOM. Once a course has the outcomes set, there is freedom in resources, in organization, in assessment, in mastery, in time and space, and in comfort. The facilitator has freedom and that freedom is translated to the students. Don't we all desire freedom? If we start education with freedom instead of deadlines and restrictions, it may just all fall into place.