Embracing the new normal – networked digital learning for higher and vocational education and training Graham Stewart, DUT

How to embrace the new normal? “The Passing of Remoteness” – Question 1: How do we ensure the quality of online education? – Question 2 How do we widen access to online education? – How Richard Linder Got His Associate Degree Who’s doing what in e-learning for access and articulation Conclusion: scaling up – some considerations The new normal and beyond 3

The “new normal” for HE is digital and mobile Institutional infrastructure and teaching staff may be left behind by student familiarity with new technology Key Educause agenda items for 2015 are the need for: – Technical support – Development of appropriate pedagogies How to embrace the new normal? 4

Need to reflect on the profound shift that the social web has brought The Internet was “out there” – now we are “in” the Internet Roger Lucky (1994) “I’m plugged into the world” Major effect on learning options – online education no longer the preserve of distance institutions (Glennie and Mays, 2013) “The Passing of Remoteness” 5

Two key challenges arise: – Question 1: How do we ensure the quality of online education? – Question 2: How do we widen access to online education? Turning point 6 Policy signposts are pointing to a radical and far-reaching take-up of online delivery.

Draw on established notions of quality from SA: – CHE programme evaluation criteria and the recent CHE Good Practice Guide (2014) – lessons to be learnt from distance learning Question 1: How do we ensure the quality of online education? 7 from: CHE Good Practice Guide, p. 84

Agreement on the key performance indicators for the quality of the following: – Management and administration – Institutional support for change and innovation – Staff – Resourcing – Curriculum, courses and courseware – Teaching and learning – Student support – Staff support Ensuring the quality of online education 8 From Latchem 2009:148

Two stories to reflect on: – Claude Mukendi – Richard Linder (Clay Shirkey) Question 2: How do we widen access to online education? 9 Sarah Montague 2014 “My Teacher is an app”) Clay Shirkey 2013 “Your Massively Open Offline College is Broken”

Mr. Linder completed a variety of courses and training programs online, checked which ones could get him academic credit, and transferred them to How Richard Linder got his Associate Degree 10 Excelsior College. The regionally accredited institution, which doesn't require students to take any of its own courses, awarded him an associate degree in science in liberal arts in July Lipka 2012 The Chronicle of Higher Education

The Mukendi and Linder stories are evidence that post-school education may soon be catapulted into unknown territory New SAQA and draft CHE policies on CATS urge institutions to promote articulation routes and facilitate “credit matrices” Could we provide our SA job seekers the equivalent of an Excelsior College for accreditation?. Widening access to online education? 11 American Council on Education - “business as usual is not in the future cards”

Maseko (2015) identifies the following colleges as leaders in e- learning provision in the TVET sector: Motheo College; Gert Sibande College; False Bay College and South West Gauteng College. Successes characterised by a strong commitment to the ideal of online education, and the need for capacity building in two key areas: – the learning technology itself, and – the appropriate application of the technology for teaching and learning Who’s doing what in e-learning for access and articulation? 12

Key to equip our graduates with this attribute: Self-directed and lifelong learning, underpinned by information literacy and the resourceful use of technology To achieve this we need to embrace the new normal - – Launch urgently into challenge of meeting student needs – Maintain quality by developing pedagogies that: Engage and empower students Encourage active and self-directed learning Conclusion: scaling up – some considerations 13

Our graduates are destined to work in a world driven by ICT and mobile technologies. As educators we have a responsibility to prepare them for that world. Embracing the new normal will make possible the development of graduate attributes such as workplace adaptability, proficiency in technology applications and information literacy. Conclusion 14