The power of the crowd: promise and potential of crowdsourcing for education

Crowdsourcing is the term often used for processes of data collation and creation where
individuals or groups of users who are not necessarily located centrally generate content that is
then shared. While the term originates within the world of business, it has since gained traction
within a number of academic and professional disciplines. Drawing upon two examples that have
originated within the Republic of Ireland, this paper reflects on the educational potential of
crowdsourcing. Firstly, it reports a unique one-year open crowdsourcing initiative which compiled
a comprehensive A-Z directory of edtech tools for teaching and learning through collaborative
contributions. Secondly, it describes an initiative to develop a crowdsourced repository of study
tips and suggestions for adult, part-time, online and flexible learners embarking on further study.
These two case studies provide a valuable context for considering the wider potential of
crowdsourcing applications for teaching and learning purposes.