Student co-creation in an online university: successes, failures and how to move forward

Abstract

I embarked on a Digital Collective project in 2018 to engage students and other stakeholders to co-create knowledge in a learning platform and tap the full potential of open educational practice at the University of the Philippines Open University. The project tried to co-create OERs with students and alumni to explore the idea of building an online learning community as the foundation over which co-creation was to be conducted. I recruited volunteers from UPOU’s Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies (BAMS) program to join me in the project, which ran for much of 2018. The purpose of this autoethnographic study is to assess and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of how the project was conducted. These preliminary findings using autoethnography can hopefully help the university in drawing up a plan that can effectively build this online community.

Key themes were identified as factors for the project’s success. Through self-reflection, review of project notes, and a group discussion with some participants with respect to these themes, participation, and output can be attributed to setting clear goals for participants, level of incorporation into the curriculum, institutional support, and adopting an appropriate method of organization. The data suggest a more defined approach following a community of practice model rather than that of a learning community, as these may lead to not just improved project management and productivity, but also less dependency on any formal ties with the curriculum.