Openness in education and in life

What kind of person are you? The one who openly share everything in your life, where personal and professional and private smoothly melt together in a life story and is said out loud without hesitation? Or are you the type that do not want to tell other people what you think and feel and maybe you keep everything separate in nice, organised life columns? Or are you something in between? Maybe you have been told to be careful to share things. Maybe you have been told that someone can misuse it somehow. Maybe you have own experience of being fooled or maybe someone always stole your ideas in school or at work when you said them out loud?

What ever circumstances you come from, I am certain that your past somehow forms your point of view when you look at openness and sharing.

During these two weeks we have been discussing and learning about openness, mainly the benefits with openness, but also some challenges. Many of us in our PBL-group started with a bit of scepticism towards openness and sharing. What does it mean? Am I good enough to put myself and my material out there, where anyone can do whatever they please with it or interpret it as they want to?

But what is my own path and thoughts when it comes to openness and sharing? How will my own background and experience effect my mindset?

Last year I worked as a teacher and started a new program in psychology for students who would like to study psychology at a university in the future. Since it had not been done before at this school, I had to start from scratch with all the material, searching for books, articles, making assignments and trying to make funny, interesting lessons :). It was I great year and I enjoyed it very much even though it was time consuming and hard.

When the year was over, and I returned to my old job, I handed over all the material to the new teacher. I never once reflected that I perhaps should not share it. Why? It was not because I am a more open or a better person than anyone else. It was because I had nothing to loose by doing so and the new teacher had everything to win on getting a ground to start from. He could continue the work and develop it and make it better. I was not afraid that he would misuse it or make me look bad. In my situation I had nothing to loose. Not my job, not my salary, not my time – the work has was already been done, not my credibility – i knew the material was not perfect in any way.

Is there something you can loose by sharing? Perhaps, but I certainly know that there is a lot more to gain. We could build a more equal world where people do not have to invent the wheel over and over again. A world where more people can access information and get an education even though they can not afford it. A world where people can create new ideas for the good of our environment and mankind when they can share and continue other peoples work.

I have gotten my education for free and I am really lucky to live in a country where education is possible, valued and free for everyone, no matter background or economical status. Sharing feels almost like an obligation, a “thank you” for the things i have received. So sharing is not hard for me. But this is certainly not the situation for all around the world. I think I understand the risks but I still think that it is worth it. At least for those of us who have got so many opportunities in life and received so much. Maybe it is time to give something back by sharing and giving. Maybe we can share our time, our material, our research or why not our courses? The world might be a better place if we do. Who knows?