Open Masters program

The Open Masters program is an experience that any small group of peers can create together to deepen their skills and knowledge in a specific field of study.  They do so by working together in a supportive community of peers and mentors, over an extended period of time, to:

• Create and follow individualized plans and routines for self-directed learning.
• Complete many different types of learning experiences and projects.
• Create a portfolio of work that demonstrates their strengths, skills, and knowledge.
• Complete a final project and public presentation showcasing all of those strengths, skills and knowledge to the community.
• Submit their work for open peer review by the rest of the Open Masters community.
• Ultimately, receive letters of endorsement from their peers and mentors.

The first group of people creating an Open Masters experience together will be based in Washington, DC this Fall.  That program is being created as a collaboration between members of P2PU and members of several other local organizations- including Hub DC, Knowledge Commons DC, and Compass Partners.  P2PU is helping create several pieces of core infrastructure to support the Open Masters process, including:

• Writing an open-source handbook, outlining clear expectations and guidance for those completing this journey.
• Planning the program for the first pilot of the Open Masters program (2012-2013).
• Supporting any of us who are creating specific courses or other learning experiences online.
• Creating online tools to support those who are completing the Open Masters experience.

Project Lead: Alan Webb.

If you are interested in collaborating, please sign up to receive updates from our blog.  We will be posting more opportunities for others to get involved over the course of 2012-2013.