Current and Future Trends in Online and Blended

Higher Education IS Hons: Virtual Collaboration Course

17 May 2016Greig Krull

Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)

Current and Future TrendsPart I: Preparing

for Universities of the Future

Part II: Preparing for more

integrated use of technologies in teaching and

learningPart III: Preparing

for students learning with

multiple electronic devices

Part I: Preparing for Universities of the Future• Expanding Access: Equality

and Inclusion • Teaching, Curriculum

Development and Quality • Business Models and

Sustainability• Research, Policy and

Practice• Linking Universities, Industry

and Employment

Expanding Access: Equality and Inclusion• Operating in a global context • Application of the UN Sustainable

Development Goal 4: Ensure inclusive, equitable, quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all

• Balancing issues of massification and diversification

• Expansion of access is necessary for social justice and societal improvements

• Universities provide private returns to individuals but also public returns

© UN

Teaching, Curriculum Development and Quality• Curricula needs to connect to potential

employment capability • Programme development needs to

include “learning to learn” and lifelong learning capability

• Online learning has opened new opportunities for flexible learning

• Co-production of curricula with stakeholders (academics, industry, society, students)

• Combine cross-disciplinary approaches with disciplinary focus

• Expand credentials beyond the degree

Business Models and Sustainability• Convergence in traditional, dual

mode and distance universities • Universities need to be sensitive to

global context driving challenges in financing and sustainability

• Universities need to respond to the needs of societies, but also question those needs or challenge those expectations

• Move away from disciplinary silos • Models need to consider value

propositions, customer relationships, key activities, resources, channels, costs and revenue streams

• Different business models are needed to meet local needs

Research, Policy and Practice• Research is framed by policy and informs practice • Balancing teaching and research needs and rewards • Universities need to negotiate their research priorities and how research is funded • Different research methodologies can be used• Focus on both theoretical and applied (societal problems) research • Universities are providers of expertise, but are not the only content producers

Linking Universities, Industries and Employment• Graduates are employed in

increasing knowledge societies• Industry and university links need

to be permeable and open • The notion of the traditional

student is disappearing, different profiles of students have different needs • Graduates require soft skills as

well as interdisciplinary knowledge and skills

Part II: Preparing for more integrated technologies in teaching and learning• Digital Literacies• Open Education• Bring Your Own Technology • Other Technology Trends

Supporting Learning

Digital Literacies

• Skills to find, use, evaluate, summarise, create and share information using technologies • Skills development for teachers

and students • Requires continuous

development• Increasing role of digital

scholarship

Open Education • Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

• MOOCs provide increased interest in online learning • Different business models for MOOCS emerging e.g. complement or replace

parts of programmes• Open Educational Resources (OERs)

• Offer freely available materials for reuse, adaptation and sharing • Enabled through open licensing

Bring Your Own Technology

• Students use their own technology (devices, software and services) for learning • Provides connections for learning

in and outside the classroom • Enabled through proliferation of

cloud computing• Universities need to provide

guidance for use of general and educational apps

Other Technology Trends in Teaching and Learning

• Gamification• Virtual and Augmented Reality• Learning Analytics• E-assessments

Features of Online Learning Enabled by Technologies

• Anytime and anywhere learning (context-sensitive and enabling mobility) • Global learning (connections

enabling interaction and collaboration) • Active and engaging learning

(learning by doing) • Personalised learning (more

learner control)

A Possible Future Scenario: The "Uber University" • A mobile app that enables a student

to connect with available tutoring or other forms of help from around the world• A tracking system which enables fees

to be charged and transferred between student and tutor• Online assessments which verify the

competence and skills of the student and their identity• A system which records aspects of

every transaction so that the credential awarding institution can verify that learning took place

Part III: Preparing for Students Learning with Multiple Devices

• More students are using their smartphones, tablets and laptops for academic uses• Moving from a goal of 1:1 to

1:N (students to devices) • Learners want to be mobile and

learn in different contexts, with available tools• Aim is to enable "seamless

learning"

My Research Study

1.What devices, and for what purposes and contexts, are online students using to perform their learning tasks?

2.How do online students use mobile devices together with other devices for learning?

3.What academic and technological support do online students learning with multiple devices require?

Discussion

Contact: gkrull@uoc.eduBlog: https://mlearningstudy.wordpress.com

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

References• Contact North (2016) A 2016 Look at the Future of Online Learning – Part 1.

http://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/exploring-future-education/2016-look-future-online-learning-part-1

• Contact North (2016) A 2016 Look at the Future of Online Learning – Part 2. http://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/exploring-future-education/2016-look-future-online-learning-part-2

• Contact North (2016) Uber-U is already here. http://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/exploring-future-education/uber-u-already-here

• Guàrdia, L., Appel,C., Girona, C., Padilla, B.C., & Witthaus, G. (2016). Learning from current trends in online and blended degree education. Universitat Oberta de Catalunya Internal Report.

• Duart, J.M. (2015). Universities of the Future Global Summit Report (in press). • Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Estrada, V., Freeman, A., and Hall,

C. (2016). NMC Horizon Report: 2016 Higher Education Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.