Reflections on 'Open University Innovation Report 2 Innovating Pedagogy 2013'

Through Stephen Downes OLdaily feed I found out about the report: 'Open University Innovation Report 2 2013: Exploring new forms of teaching learning and assessment, to guide educators and policy makers' via David Hopkin's Technology Enhanced Learning Blog.
They examine ten educational development concepts which the report writers consider to be of interest over the coming years. I shall only comment on those which particularly interest me.

1. MOOCs

I think this diagram sums the position of MOOCs up perfectly:

 http://www.fleapalmer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/mooc.jpg

The dominant area seems to be America but there are interesting experiments in Australia in my opinion. The UK is in the process of organising but dominant emerging business models are Coursera, Udacity and edX. Of the 20,000 who typically register only 5-10% reach the end. This interests me because before I register I learn what is on offer in an abbreviated form. If the course is stimulating it will point me in various directions - many of which may be away from the course - a divergent effect.
This seems to me to be the MOOC's great advantage - opening up, not closing down avenues as traditional courses demand in order to be awarded the degree etc. This is where the 'innovative learning pedagogies' mentioned could really come into their own, in my opinion. Apparently the key approaches at present are video lectures, recommended readings and staged assessment. Personally I want my lectures to be bite-sized, 20 minutes, like in the best TED Talks length.
2. Badges to Accredit Learning
For me the proof of badging will be in their growing acceptance. I understand that the core technology is there but how will Human Resources' managers react internationally and locally? The success of MOOCs long term will be closely related to the 'badge backpack' take up in the market place. Otherwise we are talking about leisure learning as opposed to recognised cunulative and flexibly developing life-long learning which is in tune with the zeitgeist.
http://www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk/tag/openbadgesmooc/
4. & 5. Seamless Learning and Crowd Learning
This is where we are right now (outside of schools?). We are all potential experts, sources of knowledge and advice, judges of validity and we move seamlessly from person to person, location to location, device to device, recording, filtering, analysing and drawing conclusions about the data we experience. We discuss it, customize it , pass it on and publish it. This has been a grassroots novices revolution driven by expert technology. How fast can learning institutions accommodate to this?
6. Digital Scholarship
Aside from the open access, the use of digital media by academics I am struck by the advances in libraries and  library science of which the super Library of Birmingham in the UK is a prime example.


8. Learning from Gaming
'Intrinsic integration' seems to be a key characteristic of gaming communities and according to the report the best games motivate with 'specific learning activities and outcomes' and the pedagogy needs to be matched by 'elements of challenge, personal control fantasy and curiosity'. They can also manipulate players' feeling of 'flow'. These then need to be integrated with worthwhile targetted learning goals.
9. Learning Maker Culture
Gaming can lead to making in the sense that the skills of today merge with the skills of yesteryear. An example could be cosplay.

English: Cosplay (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

10. Citizen Inquiry
The joining of natural curiosity to learn with structured inquiry; the transformation of knowledge consumption into knowledge engagement and creation. The public ownership of previously private knowledge.

The report itself can be found here:
http://www.open.ac.uk/personalpages/mike.sharples/Reports/Innovating_Pedagogy_report_2013.pdf