Distance Learning Opportunities & Challenges Dr. Safia Barikzai Informatics Department, Business School London South Bank University June 2014

Contents Introduction Dr. Safia Barikzai London South Bank University Informatics & Business School UG & PG Curriculum Collaborations: Teaching, Research and Enterprise Partnerships – the way forward Distance Learning Perspectives Challenges Opportunities Future Directions

Dr. Safia Barikzai Senior Lecturer in Informatics Course Director: Business IT (Student) Enterprise Champion Contact details….. born in Kabul, Afghanistan with International educational experience Lecturer in Computing, Wollongong University, Australia

London South Bank University -Established over 120 years ago -University status Full-time & Part-time students -SE1 Central London Location - close to the business district & government Currently 4 Faculties -Business -Engineering -Art and Human Sciences -Health and Social Care Spot light on LSBU What our students say….

Business School & Informatics Business School has four Academic Departments -Informatics -Accounting and Finance -Business -Management Informatics Dr. Kevin Grant (Head of Informatics) Putting the I into Business Information Invention (Technology) Innovation (Technology) I[e]nquiry Income

Informatics: Value Proposition Employer endorsed & professional body accredited Technologists educated to understand, enable and transform business via technology and innovation applications; ‘Bridge and ladders’ approach to our curricula design allowing students to enter at different stages but still achieve the same end point - a career in informatics; Authentic based assessment, taught by a mix of academic and commercially aware and active staff from the world of ICT; Focus on problem based learning enabled by technology; Focus on Capstone and value adding events ( the last four being - big data, cloud computing; cyber defence, leadership, etc.); Leveraging expertise is BI, Strategic IS; Mobile Apps to industry;

Co-created, use inspired research orientation with practicing informatics managers to add value to the curricula and enterprise activities; Curricula is informed by the the nexus between theory and practice of informatics; Undertake a placement or internship and study aboard Focus on start your own IT business through the Dept and the University’s entrepreneurial resources Practical and pragmatic informatics, with access to over 5000 successful graduates of informatics and a dynamic professional network to tap into; A shift from just providing a degree to career support via the Informatics Society Informatics: Value Proposition

Informatics UG & PG Curriculum Offer Undergraduate, Postgraduate and PhD programmes Over 500+ students Newly validated courses More business flavour then traditional Computer Science & Computer Engineering Web Links:

Collaborations: Teaching, Research & Enterprise design innovation Business needs Requirements engineering User Experience marketing enterprise

LSBU & Yasar: Strategic Partnership Internships & Placements Student Enterprise ERASMUS Mobility Summer in London Dissertation & consultancy

Identifying common research areas. - Cyber Security - Social Media - Internet and databases - Business Intelligence

Inspire Engage Enable Up-skill Start-up

Distance Learning Opportunities & Challenges

Perspectives Institutional - Brand/reputation - Cost - Implementation -Competitive advantage -Vendor/Open -Infrastructure Academic - Time/resources -Training -Flexibility -Burden -Mobility -Value adding

Challenges: People, Process, Products

Opportunities Mobility -Enables pick n mix -Global reach, local impact Openness -Enables partnerships -Sharing resources -Collaborative in nature Flexibility -Credit transfers -Cost saving -Education for all

What is achievable now? VLEs, MLEs Gradual shift in culture Mix-mode course delivery Credit transfers Semester abroad Flipped Learning - What is flipped learning? - Examples of best practice

MOOCs - Massive Open Online Courses MOOCs offer universities the opportunity to diversify the curriculum and explore alternative learning techniques but how much potential do MOOCs actually possess? And are they a threat to the traditional University? Is there financial support available to Universities?

MOOCs - the future?