Is digital technology radically changing the future of higher education? If you can access mass open online courses (MOOCS), delivered from MIT, Harvard, Stanford etc, does that change the prospects particularly for overseas recruitment and mature student recruitment? What does it mean for the OU? Will there come a point when we should rethink the balance of spend on HE? Not for the 18/19 year-old market, but for the later entry market?
A lot of questions, and hopefully a good debate to come. To be 'off-message' for a bit - an interesting article: chronicle.com from a Prof at UCLA that is sceptical on the role of digital technology in HE, although the author takes a cynical/simplistic view of what can be achieved through the 'democratisation' of accessing high quality resources/materials, there is a truth in not forgetting the academic leadership that's needed and the space for discussion and debate.
Yes, and hear is another view on the same subject -
And here is the Pew survey
I would like to start by getting everyone to read the most influential book on this issue, namely "The Innovative University". This sets out the arguments for change in the HE sector in the USA but is equally applicable in UK in my opinion. Here is a summary from Harvard Business Review
hbswk.hbs.edu and a short discussion by the authors
youtube.com
A very useful book which following Dylan's recommendation I read and then cited in my Aberystwyth lecture below
I was also sent details this week of a recent book by Santiago Iniquez, Dean of IE Business School which is also of interest. Have ordered a copy today and will report back after I have gone through it. It focuses on business and management education but should beog interest
I meant "be of interest"! IPad keypad could be one of the main challenges for e-learning.
The discussion of technology os something of a smokescreen really. What is critical is the quality and functionality of the "at a distance" experience, and the resource costs of creating and delivering content. The social contact issue is also a factor. In all cases, the OU has World-leading exprerience, and should be well placed to meet future needs, provided it is funded adequately. Distance delivery is more expensive and time consuming than traditional campus-based teaching initially, but with a bigger scope for economies of scale.
Specifically, I remember the OU using FirstClass bulletin board software (which was awful) to allow interaction to sit alongside the TV/Radio material. The web has improved this interactivity immensely. 1/2
2/2 Video, audio and text quality is far superior to most institutions, helped by collaborations with the BBC, but others are catching up in quality of output. Finally, the need to overcome limitations/constraints of missing face2face and community of learning support is the most difficult to address; here technology cannot contribute. It's a case of "what you do with it!" that the OU has been exploring for years. Some of us are interested in research and application of 21st C techniques, but not all of our colleagues and management are in step. Time, and the scope to try and fail are needed.
Looking forward to reading "The Innovative University" and discussing the shift in education delivery. I'd like to highlight the distinction between online teaching and MOOCs.
I want MOOCs to succeed. I define success as acquiring knowledge at level of competency to address the subject matter and seek a higher degree of expertise in the subject.
I have enrolled in both Udacity and Coursera courses to assess
the experience. Quite frankly I am very disappointed.
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Especially considering the debate surrounding MOOCs as an answer to remedial math and science, I fear it may further divide society. I think feedback (and outrage) from participants at this early stage is desperately needed to help shape this model into a better quality education alternative/supplement/life learning model. I want the model to work, but it really needs evaluation and evolution to be effective.
I feel we need to make sure that there is awareness and distinction between blended, online, technology-enhanced learning and MOOCs. At least until MOOCs are based on a solid pedagogy that supports feedback and learning.
P.S. Hi - happy to join in the discussions.
[part 2/2] - conversation is hard is 750 character snippets :)
I've just finished my degree at a 'typical' college, where I studied Computer Science. I've also taken many MOOCS, and knowing when I know now, I would opt for a more modern/radical college, whether it be an online college, or a college that embraces technology and the changes. Even though a lot of professors still are an active part of their area of study communities, I've seen so many professors that simply teach, and haven't changed their teaching methods since they began teaching. This is just unacceptable to me, and I believe MOOCS or technology enhanced learning forces teachers to be more current. If you go to a typical university, you might have a professor that hasn't changed their ways for multiple classes.
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The difference between the classes that I've learned a lot from and the classes I haven't learned anything from is not only the professor, but the method that professors teaches. I understand that it's difficult right now to effectively teach in MOOCS, but I've seen it get a lot better recently. Especially with the free Stanford classes. These teachers are doing this because they want to, and it shows. They're adapting to the needs of their industry, and also their students. This doesn't apply to all fields or majors, but a majority of them are embracing technology, so teachers, universities, and students must do the same.
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Finished reading Iniquez's book on the future of business schools and he deals with e-learning in detail and the challenges for what is one of the fastest growing sectors in globel HE - business and management education. This will certainly be a challenge for the new reconfigured Univsity of South East Wales business school whose individual components have, to date, failed to have any significant impact. Ceratinly, if you can get e-learning or blended lerning right within this new business school, it would be a massive step forward
I found Bonnie Stewart's article 'Is MOOC more than just a buzzword?' in the Guardian (13th Sept) (guardian.co.uk) an interesting take on MOOCs.
For example:
"Yes, higher education is changing. Its funding and knowledge structures and its place in culture have shifted drastically in the past generation or two, on multiple axes and in often-conflicting directions. It's under intense pressure to function in an increasingly corporate fashion, with increasingly little public funding. Globalization and the push for participatory collaboration all challenge the role of the traditional classroom."
I also agree completely with Mike's comments on the cost of distance delivery - a message too few people understand!
I think it's wise to seriously consider the impact MOOCs could have on the mature student 'market'. UK Universities (I mean in the broadest sense, there are obviously exceptions) are usually quite poor at engaging with students who don't fit into the traditional model, not only post-registration but in their recruitment practices too. Those re-entering education have a number of factors influencing their decision (kids, work, location etc.) but the potential feeling of exclusion can also be a big consideration. If it's possible to access top-quality education, in your own time, without feeling like the odd one out, I think it could be a real contender. However, support needs are a factor too & that could be difficult to provide online.
I agree with Jo!
It would seem that the Australian Government is now taking online learning more seriously.
Hello Dylan - good to 'see' you again.
It is, perhaps, not surprising that Australia, given the geography, would embrace online learning - much the same way that Scandinavian countries are developing e-health.
I think Wales needs to take note of these initiatives (and we are!). The work of Dr Gwyn Thomas and others in e-health are welcome and groups such as #addcym evidence the steps we are making in using technology for professional development.
Although not HE, in the last few months I have had very fruitful meetings with Wrexham LEA and Flintshire Headteachers about e-learning in schools. Seems to me Wales is ready and willing to grasp the TEL agenda and move forward more rapidly than others - although maybe we need to do more in HE.
And you Clive. As Global HE gravitates towards Asia, it is not surprising that Australia is getting serious about this. The question for Leighton is whether this is done by individual Welsh institutions or collectively (and I am not suggesting a University of Wales Mk II here !!). We need to start somewhere and given the impact of the discipline, business and management is a good place to start but as yet, there is a vacuum from business school leaders to take this forward. Perhaps the best thing to do is to just get on with it so watch this space.
Glad Coleg Cenedlaethol is ahead of the game here....
Thanks for your feedback! Team Branch
