Open Access and Networked Science in Teaching-Learning: Bane or Blessing?

Abstract

As technology continues to evolve, new opportunities continually seem to arise that facilitate, while all-at-once restrict, the never-ending work of teaching-learning. Open access and networked science are emerging phenomena in the life of faculty that have the potential to increase faculty scholarly productivity including research, grants, and publications; enhance teaching-learning; and support promotion and tenure decisions. However, both also have the capacity to lead to concerns about rigor and quality, confusion and uncertainty, as well as information and work overload, leading one to wonder if these are a bane or a blessing.