The presentation discusses the convergence of MOOCs, OERs, digital badges, and e-portfolios into a learning ecosystem favorable for lifelong learning, particularly for military personnel. It emphasizes the need for recognizing and validating skills acquired through workplace experiences to support professional development. The document outlines the challenges and promises of these educational initiatives, with a focus on creating a sustainable and flexible framework that benefits a broad range of adult learners.

1. OPEN
LEARNING
ECOSYSTEM
FOR
THE
MILITARY
IN
THE
DIGITAL
AGE
Stella
C.S.
Porto,
DSc
&
MDE
Jacklyn
Thompson,
MDE
Master
of
Distance
Education
&
E-­‐Learning
The
Graduate
School
University
of
Maryland
University
College
Link
to
Presentation
in
Prezi:
http://prezi.com/qyezaq8tj1jj/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share
This
presentation
discusses
how
MOOCs,
OERs,
digital
badges,
and
e-­‐portfolios
have
converged
as
pieces
of
a
learning
ecosystem
puzzle
that
supports
an
open
and
sustainable
framework
for
lifelong
learning
for
adults
in
all
professional
fields
with
special
relevance
for
those
in
the
military.
Description
The
importance
of
educational
provisions
for
those
stationed
abroad
and
their
families
has
been
a
pillar
for
institutions
adopting
different
forms
of
flexible
education.
There
is
also
the
understanding
that
adult
learners,
including
the
military,
acquire
skills
and
knowledge
through
activities
and
experiences
in
the
workplace.
There
is
a
need
for
an
explicit
recognition
and
validation
of
such
demonstrated
experiences
so
they
can
be
mapped
onto
formal
education
paths
for
further
professional
development.
In
recent
literature
it
is
hard
to
miss
the
references
to
MOOCs
(Massive
Open
Online
Courses),
OERs
(Open
Educational
Resources),
badges
and
e-­‐portfolios.
These
terms
have
in
time
converged
as
pieces
of
a
puzzle
that
supports
an
open
access
framework
for
lifelong
learning
in
the
digital
age.
This
presentation
discusses
how
such
pieces
of
this
learning
ecosystem
puzzle
fit
together
and
what
kinds
of
standards
are
needed
in
order
to
support
a
flexible
and
sustainable
learning
framework
for
adults
in
all
professional
fields,
with
special
relevance
for
those
in
the
military.
E-­‐portfolios
have
become
a
standard
practice
in
the
education
and
employment
fields,
and
are
well
recognized
as
a
major
tool
for
supporting
lifelong
learning
and
learner-­‐centered
approaches
to
education.
A
digital
badge
is
a
way
to
display
talents
and
competencies,
both
practical
and
academic.
The
idea
is
that
a
badge
is
a
widely
accepted
digital
symbol
that
acknowledges
and
recognizes
certain
skills
and/or
competencies.
Thus,
displaying
badges
in
one’s
e-­‐portfolio
is
a
natural
method
for
portraying
professional
achievement.
The
amount
of
OERs
currently
available
on
the
web
is
massive,
but
not
always
easy
to
find.
Assessing
the
quality
of
such
materials
can
also
be
a
complex
process.
The
adoption
of
these
resources
by
institutions
is
slowly
evolving,
still
depending
on
standards
and
quality
assurance
processes.
For
individuals
with
adequate
readiness
to
navigate
the
web
and
the
ability
to
learn
on
their
own,
OERs
can
be
of
significant
value
at
no
cost.
Much
of
the
impact
of
the
MOOC
wave
in
education
is
still
unfolding.
Since
MOOCs
are
completely
free
of
cost,
they
open
up
many
possibilities
for
exploration
of
a
variety
of
topics.
Besides
the
push
for
being

2. translated
into
college
credits,
MOOCs
can
also
be
a
promise
of
recognized
education
directly
by
employers
looking
for
proof
of
competencies
and
abilities
and
not
necessarily
a
formal
degree.
In
this
presentation,
participants
will
learn
and
discuss
about
the
challenges
and
promises
of
these
different
initiatives.
They
will
be
able
to
delineate
how
the
pieces
of
the
learning
ecosystem
puzzle
should
evolve,
so
they
hold
the
potential
of
working
perfectly
together
as
a
response
to
the
needs
of
continuous
professional
development
and
recognition
of
competencies
and
skills
for
a
broad
range
of
adults,
new
and
old
to
the
job
market,
including
military
transition
to
civilian
life.
The
focus
of
the
presentation
is
on
the
synergy
of
these
initiatives
and
how
this
opens
up
a
bright
path
for
military
and
veterans
in
pursuit
of
professional
development
within
a
highly
accessible
framework.
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