Challenges facing higher education

and the role of MOOCs

Mark Lester, 20 October 2016 EADTU, Rome

FutureLearn is founded by the

Open University

A pioneer in

distance learning

100+ World Class partners

Designed and built by experts from

online, mobile and media

Effective learning design embedded

in all aspects of the platform

Uniquely designed for multi-platform

use - mobile first

Incorporates the best of the social web

with in built social architecture

Trends impacting

higher education

Major trends impacting

higher education

• Technology

• Internationalisation

• Financial Crisis

• Graduate Employability

• Lifelong Learning

Freeing knowledge from power structures like schools,

universities and corporations will change everything

• Why sit listening to a teacher reading “approved”

excerpts from a book, when the book is out there, freely

accessible from anywhere, at any time?

• Why accept established interpretations when you can

read and discuss it with thousands of others?

• Why sit in serried ranks, when you can sit in the park,

beach or pub?

• Why listen to a single conduit of knowledge (lecturer)

when the world of knowledge is in your hands?

• Why bother learning facts when you can bring them up

under your thumb?

Users will turn the world upside down

1 TECHNOLOGY

2 INTERNATIONALISATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Europe: 25%

Africa: 10%

Asia: 55%

Latin America: 6% North America: 3%

Oceania: 1%

Distribution of Int’l Mobile Students studying

in OECD countries, Masters & PhD, 2014

Source: Education at a Glance, OECD, 2016; EUA Trends 2015, Learning & Teaching in European Universities

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Top 4 Reasons for Internationalisation across

EHEA Universities, 2015 (EAIE Baromoter)

Improve Quality of Education for Students

Prepare Students for Global World

Attract Int’l Students

Improve Rankings

3 GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS

• 27% of EU employers blamed a lack of

skills for not filling vacancies.

• Countries with the highest youth

unemployment have greatest reported

skills shortages.

“A critical reason for youth not getting the

skills employers need is that education

providers, young people, and employers do

not understand one another.” (McKinsey, 2014)

4 GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY

Source: McKinsey survey, Aug-Sept 2012, 2013. Education to Employment: Getting Europe’s Youth into Work, January 2014

UNIVERSITY-EMPLOYER COMMUNICATION

Despite regular communications,

most employers feel discussions

with universities are not achieving

the desired results

Source: McKinsey survey, Aug-Sept 2012, 2013. Education to Employment: Getting Europe’s Youth into Work, January 2014

5 LIFELONG LEARNING

“They may be store managers…or physicians

or engineers, but every few years they have to

refresh and renew their knowledge. Otherwise

they risk becoming obsolescent….It will force

us to accept that, in the knowledge society,

learning is lifelong and does not end with

graduation.”

PETER DRUCKER

Source: Instilling A Culture Of Lifelong Learning, By T.A. Frank, Drucker Institute, July-August 2016

THE PACE OF CHANGE IS STAGGERING

• 15m jobs could be replaced by automation

in 20 years’ time as …”computers are

increasingly able to replicate many of

our complex cognitive skills”.

• “Government should incentivise education

providers to expand their provision of computer-

based and blended learning opportunities to

capitalise on a growing demand for alternative

learning.”

Seamus Nevin

Head of Employment and Skills Policy

at the UK’s Institute of Directors, April 2016

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Switzerland

Sweden

Finland

Netherlands

Luxembourg

Austria

Slovenia

Portugal

Germany

Italy

Hungary

Ireland

Latvia

Greece

Slovakia

Romania

• Most European countries have not hit the

EU Commission’s 15% target for

proportion of employees undertaking

lifelong learning

• University-educated workers are the most

likely to seek and undertake lifelong

learning – this represents an opportunity

for universities

GOVERNMENTS ARE TARGETING LIFELONG LEARNING

Addressing the challenges:

the role of MOOCs

“…MOOCs have been viewed with enthusiasm in many

quarters and scepticism in some. However, the

underlying facts are inarguable: that the rising cost of

education, combined with the transformative potential of

online teaching and learning technologies, presents a

long-term challenge that no university can afford to

ignore.”

President of MIT, L. Rafael Reif

“We find that the following practices present significant

opportunities for improving the learning experience:

• Short video lectures: these are consistent with

recommendations from studies of cognitive load and mind

wandering

• Spaced learning: In an online course, it is possible to

space out assessments so that a student is asked about a

topic she covered several days, weeks or months ago

• Graduated tasks: Online tools can also offer graduated

tasks of increasing complexity, challenging students to

address more and more open-ended problems”

Source: MIT online education policy initiative (2016)

83% of MIT undergraduates are taking a course where a substantial component of the course is hosted on the MITx platform

MOOCs on Campus: MIT report on online education

FutureLearn’s social learning pedagogy

MASSIVE

OPEN

SOCIAL

LEARNING

Direct learning from others

Knowledge sharing

Visible learning

Peer review

Learner posts questions and gets replies

Learners exchange ideas and perspectives with others

Learner is aware of learning activity of others (following, liking, profiles)

Learners provide structured reviews of assignments

Learning as conversation

Study groups

Shared knowledge building

Structured feedback

Learner engages in sustained dialogue with others

Educator guides a group towards exploration of difference or shared

understanding

Learner develops knowledge with others through dialogue and interaction

Educator provides conversational feedback on multiple choice

responses

An innovative social learning approach

Following

FutureLearn creates a global learning community

“The level and quality of discussion is very high and includes information about cancer developments worldwide and authentic personal experiences that are not easily available in the traditional classroom…. As such, we encourage our students, studying relevant disciplines, to participate in the MOOC alongside their campus-based studies, to benefit from the advantages offered by the 'global classroom’” – University of Bath

INTERNATIONALISING THE CURRICULUM

U21 is creating a shared learning experience using FutureLearn for its 2M students

MOOCS TO INTERNATIONALISE THE CURRICULUM

U21 is creating a shared international experience using FutureLearn for its 2M students

Leading UK

Universities

+ 30 more

Leading International

Universities

+ 35 more

Specialist

Organisations

+ 30 more

Draw upon a global partnership

Global

Cost

Effective Augment Conversion

Generate Leads

Student recruitment

Reaching new audiences

Invite-only functionality for blended learning or online

programmes

Course runs

are unlisted

Accessible to

invited learners only

Learners invited

using unique URLs

Suitable for smaller

cohorts of learners

Run blended and distance programmes on FutureLearn

Cost effective curriculum development

Lifelong learning: the rise of alternative credentials

Southampton’s Contract Management Course promoted by IACCM was popular with 16 top brands and govt organisations

MOOCS HELP UNIVERSITIES DEVELOP EMPLOYER-FOCUSED COURSES

+ + =eCOMPLETE ALL COURSES

Take all courses in the program at

your own pace. Learn anywhere,

anyt ime, for free – on desktop,

tablet or mobile.

[BUY CERTIFICATES

Complete 90% of each course and

score an average of 70% or above

on all tests, to be eligible to buy a

Cert ificate.

kPASS A FINAL ASSESSMENT

Some programs require an online

assignment or an in-person exam

to demonstrate your

understanding.

EARN AN AWARD

Receive academic credit from a

leading university, accreditat ion from

a professional body or proof of

complet ing the program.

Programs These flexible online course programs will enable you to master a subject in depth – ideal for

advancing or changing your career, or preparing for further study. Learn with a leading

university or organisat ion, and earn academic credit or professional accreditat ion.

Corporate

Training

$310Bn

SOFT CREDENTIALS: TAPPING THE CORPORATE TRAINING MARKET

MOOCs with new credentials offer universities scope to grow in the corporate training market

The Digital Economy The Open University

FutureLearn Program

Complete each four-week course, for three hours a week, plus a final assessment course.

Develop the business, management and market ing skills to thrive in the digital economy and take your first steps

towards an MBA, with this flexible program of online courses from The Open University Business School.

FINANCE FOR

BUSINESS GROWTH

+ + + +

The program will enable you to demonstrate your cont inuing professional development (CPD) and earn 15 UK credits

towards The Open University Business School’s flexible MBA.

SUCCESS THROUGH

MARKET SEGMENTATION

SELLING THROUGH

CUSTOMER INSIGHT

EFFECTIVE SUPPLY

CHAIN MANAGEMENT

=ASSESSMENT

COURSE

[15 credits

The rise of alternative credentials

BRANDING OF ALTERNATIVE CREDENTIALS

edX launched their

MicroMasters offer in

September 2016 – 19

programs of 4 – 10

MOOCs each, which can

count towards full masters

programs, with instructor-

marked assignments for

paying learners.

Multi-device

Scalable

Social and Collaborative

Convenient

Potential to Transform

High quality

Flexible

Cost Effective FUTURELEARN

FOR

EMPLOYERS

Workplace training and learning

Mark Lester

e: mark.lester@futurelearn.com