Preparing for the Digital University:Why openness is not enough

George SiemensMarch 13, 2015

AU Open Education Week

Openness is not enough

Openness is not end goal

Need for

Open competenciesOpen badgesOpen assessmentOpen pedagogiesOpen learning analyticsetc.

here’s why

Education Sector Factbook, 2012

Control of university: decline of end-to-end integrated system

Ed-tech startupsWith 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)

http://www.oecd.org/edu/skills-beyond-school/EDIF%202013--N%C2%B015.pdf http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/acsbr11-14.pdf

Favours women over menMore learners as % (up to 60%)Average entrance age increasingTop three countries for entering students:

China, India, USATraditional science courses waning in popularityGreater international student

OECD 2013

Enrolment: “perfect storm of challenges ahead”

University Business, January 2015

Parallel developing partners: Adaptive and personalized

learningPlatform Publisher

Knewton PearsonSmart Sparrow McGraw-HillDesire2Learn adaptcoursewareLoudCloud CMU OLI

What will learning analytics do for education?

Add a new research layerPersonalizationOptimization (move from negative orientation)Organizational insightImproved decision makingNew models of learningIncrease competitivenessImprove 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 accessUnder represented learnersQuality of learningOpportunities 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 educationiv. Have a criteria for the inclusion of primary sources, andv. 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