Preparing for the Digital University: Why openness is not enough George Siemens March 13, 2015 AU Open Education Week
Openness is not enough
Openness is not end goal
Need for Open competencies Open badges Open assessment Open pedagogies Open learning analytics etc.
here’s why
Education Sector Factbook, 2012
Control of university: decline of end-to-end integrated system
Ed-tech startups With transformations already underway in news, music, videos/movies, startup gold rush now turning focus to education
McKinsey Quarterly, 2012
Student profiles Diversifying (OECD) Less than 50% now full time (US Census Bureau) N%C2%B015.pdf
Favours women over men More learners as % (up to 60%) Average entrance age increasing Top three countries for entering students: China, India, USA Traditional science courses waning in popularity Greater international student OECD 2013
Enrolment: “perfect storm of challenges ahead” University Business, January 2015
Parallel developing partners: Adaptive and personalized learning PlatformPublisher KnewtonPearson Smart SparrowMcGraw-Hill Desire2Learnadaptcourseware LoudCloudCMU OLI
What will learning analytics do for education? Add a new research layer Personalization Optimization (move from negative orientation) Organizational insight Improved decision making New models of learning Increase competitiveness Improve marketing/promotion/recruitement
“If the ladder of educational opportunity rises high at the doors of some youth and scarcely rises at the doors of others, while at the same time formal education is made a prerequisite to occupational and social advance, then education may become the means, not of eliminating race and class distinctions, but of deepening and solidifying them.” President Truman, 1947
Income inequality: “The defining challenge of our time”
Equity of access Under represented learners Quality of learning Opportunities for success
Pell Institute, 2015
Based on: Reeves & Sawhill, 2014
Inclusion criteria i. Be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, conference paper, doctoral dissertation, or government report, ii. Adopt systematic approach (i.e., systematic literature review or meta-analysis) iii. Focus on distance/blended/online education iv. Have a criteria for the inclusion of primary sources, and v. Focus on higher or adult education; studies that focused on K–12 education were included only if they also analyzed higher or adult education
In: Siemens, Gasevic, & Dawson (eds), 2015