The cow holder principle: A call to simplify scholarly definitions

Abstract

When having scholarly debates over the different nuances and uses of terminology within our field, it is important to consider how those outside our field use and understand those same terms (or what they might find if they search up a term, looking to find out what it means). Directed towards Open Digital Distance Education (ODDE) scholars, this article takes the conversation of definitions outside of our scholarly community and explores how the terms open learning, distance learning, and digital learning might be understood by others. An exploratory scan was conducted to identify the vernacular meanings that a layperson might encounter when searching these terms using common online search tools. The purpose of identifying differences between our scholarly use of a term compared to the vernacular is to develop an awareness of what might be perceived as confusing or complex jargon by outsiders. The discussion highlights some inconsistencies in how open learning is defined and understood within the scholarly community, and how the vernacular understanding provides somewhat of a middle ground. Each term is further simplified using the Cow Holder Principle, a self-invented principle put forth by the author, that serves as a reminder to use easy-to-understand language.