OEP for making the “Inclusion” concept a reality

“Technology can become the ‘wings’ that will allow the educational world to fly farther and faster than ever before — if we allow it.” – Jenny Arledge (Doran & Jones, 2015)

As the above quote emphasises, technology has emerged a new pathway with innovative changes to an educational transformation which supports education equity. Also, that pathway will allow the learner to reach the goal faster than the traditional educational practices.  However, the educationists, teachers and learners have the responsibility to embrace the changes by travel along that path for betterment (Morrison, 2018).

Technology has rooted a pedagogical change in the present education system by evolving a different educational culture compared to what students experienced in two decades ago (Raja & Nagasubramani, 2018). The concept “Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL)” was emerged with the definition of “support of teaching and learning through the use of technology” (IGI-Global, 2019) to signify the above mentioned educational culture.

It is a fact, that every individual has an equal right for education despite any social or physical changes such as sex, race, age, language, religion, nationality, economic condition, economic situation, ability etc. Therefore, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has emphasised that inclusion and equity are the main factors which build the foundation of quality education. It mostly focuses on the education rights of special needs people but not limited to them  (UNESCO, 2019).

What does “inclusion” mean in education? The educationists entail that the inclusion concept is dubious in the field of education since it relates to the social values and equality in education. Therefore, it has been defined based on the context which it is being applied. It is mostly applicable for the Special needs education since it is the foundation to emerge this concept. Therefore, the following definition for the “inclusion” formed by Wisconsin Education Association Council (WESC) based on a contextual description available in Research Bulletin Number 11, 1993, from Phi Delta Kappa’s Center for Evaluation, Development, and Research is also biased to the special education (WEAC, n.d.).

“Inclusion is a term which expresses commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and classroom he or she would otherwise attend. It involves bringing the support services to the child and requires only that the child will benefit from being in the class. Proponents of inclusion generally favour newer forms of education service delivery.”

Further, the economic situation is also one of the main problems which can be significantly influenced by a knowledge differentiation in the world. Even the reputed university has developed quality online courses as a solution to overcome the location and travelling cost barrier, the majority of people from developing countries are unable to afford the tuition cost of the online courses. Alternatively, the educational field was boomed by a new pedagogical concept, Open Education Practices (OEP) which established a cost-free innovative learning and teaching process through high-quality Open Educational Resources (OERs)  (Geser & Research, 2007).  Hence, “OEP” has opened up a tremendous opportunity to quench the thirst of knowledge for the people from all over the world by abiding all the policies of inclusive education rules and regulations (Teixeira, et al., 2012).

References

Doran, L. & Jones, K., 2015. The future depends on students’ ability to use technology.

Geser, G. & Research, S., 2007. Open Educational Practices and Resources, s.l.: Open e-Learning Content Observatory Services (OLCOS).

IGI-Global, 2019. What is Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL).

Morrison, H., 2018. Educational Technology Serves Equity When Used with Purpose.

Raja, R. & Nagasubramani, P. C., 2018. Impact of modern technology in education. Tamil Nadu, India, Recent Trend of Teaching Methods in Education.

Teixeira, A. et al., 2012. Inclusive Open Educational Practices (OEP) How the use and Reuse OER of OER can Support Visual Higher Education for All, s.l.: European Commission.

UNESCO, 2019. Inclusion in education.

WEAC, n.d. Special Education Inclusion.

(Extracted from a TMA submission of H818 in MAODE)