OE Global 2018

Independently and unknowingly of each other, in two different subject fields, open learning platforms arose that appear to form a specific new type of platform, that address similar needs and have similar set-ups, and differ from the presently common learning platforms. We discuss the set-ups of these two platforms and the experiences with their usage and extend this to a discussion about the value that these types of platforms could offer for promotion of open education in general. This new platform type that we dubbed ‘Topic Oriented Open Learning’ (TOOL) platform, combines domain specificity with a focus on open learning. Its domain specificity is modeled after the many online domain specific commercial platforms, such as platforms for booking hotels or flights, getting travel information, sharing stuff, etc. The principles of those platforms are applied to facilitate Open Learning. They offer not only Open Educational Resources (OER), but also tools for teachers and students that support the actual learning process: tools to exercise and interact with the subject matter. Such learning platforms exist commercially already, but not yet for open education. On the other hand, existing open education platforms usually only present OER but do not support the actual learning process and are not or only to a certain level domain specific. The combination of ‘domain specificity, open, and facilitation of the learning process’ is new. TOOL platforms can be used alongside institutional Learning Management Systems (LMS), where the LMS focuses on the data connected with the institutional processes and the TOOL platforms on the subject matter. We foresee TOOL platforms to offer a unique opportunity for promoting of open education because they are not only open, but also offer specific added value to teaching and learning in specific domains that can be directly included in the daily teaching routine.