What does open education and the future of universities

“look like?”ISTB01, March 26/2008

Stian Håklev

What is a university?

Accreditation?

Why is it organized as it is?

4 year degree5 courses per term

GPABig lectures

Small tutorialsPapers

TextbooksAcademic journalsCitation standards

Is that the only way?

What is the purpose of university?

Current problems

The enrollment explosion

Is Canadian education in crisis?

Jeff Rybak – ex-UTSC student

Professors from U Western

If this is Canada, how about the developing world?

Colonial heritage

University of Pretoria

Language of instructionCurriculum contents

Text booksVery restricted entry

Appropriate?

Challenges

Massive growth in enrolmentTeaching of local content

Accessibility and affordabilityFlexibility

Indigenous knowledge production/exchange

Access to Western knowledgeSouth-to-South knowledge exchange

Not possible with today’s Western model

So?

Two trends:

Very scalable

Mixed modes of delivery

Flexible/Affordable

Massive universities

Examples

UK Open University

Indira Gandhi Open University

Accessability?

Tele/learning-centersVideo/CD/DVD

Satellite/TV/RadioPaper-based

Affordable computers?

What does distance learning “look like”

(isn’t it boring looking at a tiny window with a professor talking on the screen, don’t the students feel

disconnected, aren’t the educational outcomes sub-

optimal?)

Introduction to Open Education course

David Wiley, Utah State University

Introduction to Open Education course

David Wiley, Utah State University

Introduction to Open Education course

David Wiley, Utah State University

Introduction to Open Education course

David Wiley, Utah State University

Introduction to Open Education course

David Wiley, Utah State University

“Ingredients” for learning

a selected/gradated list of course material (lenses, playlist)

assignments, deadlines, a beginning and an end?

feedback/critique (from teacher/mentor/other students)

Open Educational Resources

accreditation?

Accreditation- The idea of excellent universities

- Separating teaching and accreditation- The competency-based model

- Portfolio

Possible questions for discussion

What elements are really necessary to constitute a university, and what is “historical hubris?”

How will (higher) education look in the future?

Does the model of computer-mediated open learning give an answer to the challenges of the developing world? Of

Canada?

How can/should UTSC or UofT play an active role in this?

Thank you!