As educators endeavor to hone their facilitation prowess, valuable lessons can be learned from the most unlikely of sources. Vikings, while perceived by many as barbaric, actually possessed a number of characteristics that can truly aid educators in establishing a foundation for improved outcomes in online classrooms. Throughout this chapter, nine specific characteristics associated with Vikings will be identified along with a new perspective in how they can be applied in a classroom setting. You may be surprised to find your inner Viking calling you to become that warrior you've always wanted to be!
TopOpen Educational Resources (Oers)
How many of you have heard that knowledge is power? Do you believe that to be true? Some of you may feel as though the statement is true, but for this author, the real knowledge comes from being able to apply all that one knows. People need to be able to open themselves up to this possibility.
Gerry McGovern, author of an article entitled Turning Knowledge into Power, believes otherwise as well. Profound statements are made in the article, yet perhaps there are a few points to ponder.
We are in an era of knowledge abundance. Traditional management theory focuses on knowledge scarcity. We need new management strategies to deal with so much communication and so much knowledge. (McGovern, 2005, para. 1)
They say knowledge is power but, if that were the case, academics would rule the world. Knowledge in itself is not power; rather the application of knowledge is where the power lies. They say a little learning is a dangerous thing. Well too much learning can lead to paralysis and a lack of decisive, timely action. (McGovern, 2005, para. 2)
Time is the diamond in the dirt of the knowledge society. We are constantly trying to find time. Knowledge is only useful if we act on what we know, so we need to balance the time we spend knowing with the time we spend doing. (McGovern, 2005, para. 9)
Still, one needs to be able to access information and learn from it before every being able to apply it, and there are many avenues for such access. Whether choosing to purchase a hardbound book or attend a college class or even a workshop, these are more traditional options which can be somewhat costly. Nonetheless, advancements in technology coupled with that made to the World Wide Web have led to relatively new options known as OERs beginning to surface in the new millennium as well (Brons, 2017; Hu, Li, Li, & Huang, 2015). As noted by Hu, Li, Li, & Huang (2015), an OER is an educational resource based upon technology which is open to users for non-commercial purposes. OERs encompass “social media, search engines, Wikis, and a wide variety of emerging tools including Apps, games, and interactive web pages” (Brons, 2017, p. 68). All provide learning opportunities which are free and open to all (Brons, 2017).