Page - 59 - in Radical Solutions and Open Science - An Open Approach to Boost Higher Education

62 S.AffounehandZ.N.Khlaif cost-effective, since it isnotnecessary toprint textbooks,and that itpromotes infor- mal learning bynot requiring credentials. Judith andBull (2016) have stressed the importanceofopeneducation’senhancing thequalityof learningbyallowingmore participants to be involved in it,which results in amore personalized and efficient learningprocess (Berti, 2018). 4.2.4 TheDilemmaofPolicyandPractice Conole (2010) concentrated on using a suggested framework to bridge the gap between policy and practice in e-learning in higher education. He compared dif- ferent contexts and factors that influence thewidth of this gap and found tenmain points that have a real impact which are congruent with Conole’s study (2007). I served as the head of the national committee to develop e-learning policy for the MinistryofEducationandHigher education.Withmy team, Ideveloped thepolicy fore-learning,whichwasdiscussedinthePrimeMinister’sCabinetandwasincluded and reflected in higher education as a new law. Furthermore, Iwas the founder of the e-LearningCenter atAn-NajahNationalUniversity.Mymainobjective for the e-LearningCenterwas tochange thecultureofopeneducation tobepartof theuni- versity.Myteamdeveloped theuniversitypolicyfore-Learningandopeneducation through: • Preparing twoMOOCs • Training facultymembersonbestpractices inopeneducation • Participating inmanyconferencesandworkshops. An-NajahNationalUniversity nowhas thousandsof recorded lectures andhun- dredsofopencourses.Inaddition, itsD-spacerepositoryincludesallpapers,eBooks andthesesasopenresourcesforlearners.All thescholarlyworkitproducesisshared onlineand free toaccessbystudents andcolleagues. 4.3 ReflectionsonLifeExperience Iwasveryluckytogothroughsucharichlearningexperiencedespite thefactIdidit thedifficultway,where I learnedall the time throughdoingandworkingveryhard. Openeducationwas just a dream,not only forme, but also formycountry and the Arabregion.Peopleappreciated radical teachingandsat in rows inclassroomswith blackboardsand tough teacherswith loudvoices, toughhandsand lovinghearts. Working at OpenUniversity and implementing open education practices in an environment where everyone is ready for that differs fromworking from scratch to build the culture of open education. In a convenient university, the experience needs to change attitudes, practices, policies and expectations. Trying to convince everyone, starting fromthemanagement level andmoving to the teachers’ levels, is