Thanks to the advent of Internet and, more importantly, open educational resources (OER), we have finally ended the scarcity of knowledge and begun to level the playing field in higher education. Through open textbooks and courses, students with an internet connection have access to more information than ever before in human history. Independent learners are amassing their own expertise outside of traditional classrooms. However, knowledge alone is not always enough. In a world where your socio-economic position is in part dependent on the certification of your knowledge, we must also end the scarcity of the credential. One solution is Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).
Thomas Edison State College is a leader in the field of PLA, and was predicated on the notion that it does not matter where or how you learned something, but that you know it. With this in mind, TESC has teamed up with the Saylor Academy - a purveyor of 300+ free college level courses, expertly crafted out of aggregated OER and custom content. Together we saw the potential to create a transformative new pathway for students looking to earn a credential for their untethered online learning.
Hence, the Open Course Option, AS in Business Administration program. This new degree combines OER, credit-by-exam, and portfolio development, resulting in something truly unique in higher education: open courseware that is free and available whenever the student needs it; assessment options that reward students not just for seat time, but for what they know; and a self-directed, cost-effective accredited degree.
