Widening Participation and Disruption

Professor Belinda Tynan, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) The Open University

Challenges for the Conference• What new models of partnership and curriculum delivery are

addressing social inequality and what evidence is there of impact?• Can we revisit curriculum theory to look afresh at redressing

differential success rates for different groups in society?• What is the impact of curriculum reform in higher education

institutions and what lessons can be learned? • How are students being engaged creatively in the process of

improving the student experience of higher education for all students?

Megatrends

Challenges and opportunities

Challenges

• Globalisation• Future jobs• Resources• Health• Education• Excessive consumption in the

developed world• Geopolitics • Governance

Opportunities

• Productively sharing benefits of growth etc.

• Investment in the long term• Collaboration and cooperation• Shared values• Education- participation and

access• Resilience and adaptability

within complexity

What is our calling?

• Conscience• Character• Calling• Competence and craft• Citizenship, conversation and capability• Other?

HEA Principles for Learning in the Future

1.learner empowerment

2.future-facing education

3.decolonising education

4.transformative capabilities

5.crossing boundaries

6.social learning

pedagogies for complexity, uncertainty and change

Knowing diversity: The role for Learner Analytics

A pedagogy for widening participation On the go Motivation

Adult LT Knowles

Motivation and Self determination Deci & Ryan

Persistence

Adults need to know the reason for learning something (Need to Know)

Humans are inherently proactive with their potential and mastering their inner forces (such as drive and emotions).

students with high levels of conscientiousness develop focused learning strategies and appear to be more disciplined and achievement-oriented.

Experience (including error) provides the basis for learning activities (Foundation).

Humans have an inherent tendency towards growth, development and integrated functioning.

Interactionalist theory (1975) Tinto pre-entry characteristics

Adults need to be responsible for their decisions on education; involvement in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept).

Optimal development and actions are inherent in humans but they don’t happen automatically.

Student Integration Model (1975) Grayson and Grayson -academic and social integration (transactional)

Adults are most interested in learning subjects having immediate relevance to their work and/or personal lives (Readiness).

Focus our efforts on creating environments (at our workplace, schools, home) for our innate psychological needs to flourish

Non cognitive factors "positive self-concept, realistic appraisals, preference for long-term goals and leadership“ Grayson & Grayson, 2003, p. 21

Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation).Adults respond better to internal versus external motivators (Motivation).

Human beings have an innate drive to be autonomous, self-determined yet connected to one another. When these conditions are met, internal drive is liberated and people achieve more and live richer lives.

Student engagement a) student time , effort and engagement with academic and social activities b) organisational resource deployment that induces students towards persistence, satisfaction, learning and graduation. Harper & Quaye, 2009

Dialogue = interaction (not

interactivity) = engagement

Ensuring that dialogue is personal, tailored to the individual and is dynamic, helps to bridge the transactional gap

Learner-teacher dialogue which develops a high degree of interactivity and participationis critical for success

More likely that where dialogue occurs, learning outcomes will be stronger and learners will do better

a high degree of interactivity and participation

Online education environments offer the opportunity for increased interaction (dialogue) opportunities

dynamics of interpersonal communication and theories of immediacy overlay with interaction

positive social and educational benefits

Interaction as a transaction (dyadic) or on a continuum with substantive dialogue?

Engagement= persistence

Disruption in practice: Free and open learning

16,093

163,7219,014

3,272

4,538

7,960

What is The Open University, UK?

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Open DistanceBlendedOnline

Scale Quality Research Broad Curriculum

Part timeFee basedLoans availableInclusive with Free

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“Advancement and dissemination of learning and knowledge … to promote the general wellbeing of the

community.”OU Charter

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Why do we do free learning?

“Advancement and dissemination of learning and knowledge … to promote the general wellbeing of the

community.”OU Charter

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What do we do with free learning?

17

18

Reach new learners

Channels 2014-15

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315m viewing / listening events. 24 TV/radio series co-produced across most channels each year.

21m iPlayer downloads.

Inspirational Broadcast Free Learning

396k print items distributed for free by the OU,

e.g. 200k ordered Frozen Planet poster.

Print

1.7% of broadcast viewers engage in the next step,

e.g. 2.9% of Frozen Planet viewers took the next step with

the OU. 600k clicked through

to the OU from the BBC, e.g. 19k took free OpenLearn

Frozen Planet course.

11m visitors to free OU learning online.60m downloads on iTunes U.

Largest YouTube presence of any EU university.

Over 10,000 hours of free learning materials.

13% of visitors to OpenLearn enquire about studying with OU,

e.g. the Frozen Planet course was fully subscribed.

Qualifications

High performing output: average AI 86

BBC and the OU: A Powerful PartnershipEngaging millions in learning for over 40 years

Disruption in practice:Citizen Science - The Open Science Lab

New Opportunities in Open Education

OpenLearn Works

Underway: The OU has a pilot project which copied OpenLearn and provided a free public space for people to run their own free learning projects. TESSIndia, HEAT, Gates Foundation and other projects use this as a development and hosting space.

We will add:

• more content on OER capacity building, • MOOC presentation capability, • multi-format (including eBook) publishing tools • and new support mechanisms like badging

Hub for Free Learning capacity building…

Challenges for the Conference• What new models of partnership and curriculum delivery are

addressing social inequality and what evidence is there of impact?• Can we revisit curriculum theory to look afresh at redressing

differential success rates for different groups in society?• What is the impact of curriculum reform in higher education

institutions and what lessons can be learned? • How are students being engaged creatively in the process of

improving the student experience of higher education for all students?

Learning and TeachingThe Open UniversityWalton HallMilton KeynesMK7 6AA

www.open.ac.uk