Keynote presentation at International Conference on Effective Teaching in Higher Education, American University of Beirut, Beirut, 7th February, 2015.

1. Making the Digital Future:
Debates, Designs and Dilemmas
Dr. Mark Brown
Beirut
7th February 2015

2. Professor (Dr.) Mark Brown
Director, National Institute for Digital Learning
mark.brown@dcu.ie
@mbrownz

3. Making the Digital Future
1. Debates
2. Designs
3. Dilemmas
Outline…

4. “If digital learning is the
future solution for higher
education, then what is the
problem?”
Key question…

5. Key problem…

6. Key point…
“If we teach today as we taught yesterday,
then we rob our students of tomorrow”
(John Dewey).

7. Key point…
“If we teach today as we taught yesterday,
then we rob our students of tomorrow”
(John Dewey).
“All generalizations are
dangerous, even this
one” (Alexandre Dumas)

8. 1. Debates…

9. #1 University teaching has failed to keep up with
major societal changes…
1. Debates…

10. #1 University teaching has failed to keep up with
major societal changes…
1. Debates…

11. #1 University teaching has failed to keep up with
major societal changes…
1. Debates…

12. 1. Myths…
#2 The lecture is dead in the classroom of the 21st
Century…

13. 1. Myths…
#2 The lecture is dead in the classroom of the 21st
Century…
Laurentius de Voltolina

14. #2 The lecture is dead in the classroom of the 21st
Century…
1. Debates…

15. #2 The lecture is dead in the classroom of the 21st
Century…
1. Debates…
Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences
http://www.pnas.org/content/111/23/8410

16. 1. Debates…

17. “Because no two students have the same needs and no two
teachers arrive at their best performance in the same way,
theoretical exclusivity and didactic single-
mindedness can be trusted to make even the best
educational ideas fail”.
(Sfard, 1998, p.11)
#2 The lecture is dead in the classroom of the 21st
Century…
1. Debates…

18. #2 The lecture is dead in the classroom of the 21st
Century…
Learning by sharing
(Connectivist)
Learning by listening
(Instructionist)
Learning by doing
(Constructivist)
Learning by making
(Constructionist)
1. Debates…

19. #3 MOOCs are having a revolutionary impact on
higher education…
1. Debates…

20. #3 MOOCs are having a revolutionary impact on
higher education…
Barber, M., Donnelly, K., & Rizvi, S. (2013). An avalanche is coming: Higher
education and the revolution ahead. Institute for Public Policy Research.
London.
1. Debates…

21. 1. Debates…
European MOOC Scoreboard

22. #3 MOOCs are having a revolutionary impact on
higher education…
1. Debates…
(Babson Survey Research Group, 2014)

23. #4 Blended learning is having a transformative
impact on pedagogy…
1. Debates…

24. #4 Blended learning is having a transformative
impact on pedagogy…
1. Debates…

25. #4 Blended learning is having a transformative
impact on pedagogy…
1. Debates…

26. #4 Blended learning is having a transformative
impact on pedagogy…
1. Debates…

27. #5 Educational technology is a neutral tool that has
no effect on learning…
1. Debates…

28. #5 Educational technology is a neutral tool that has
no effect on learning…
1. Debates…

29. #5 Educational technology is a neutral tool that has
no effect on learning…
1. Debates…

30. #5 Educational technology is a neutral tool that has
no effect on learning…
“Infused with the language of capitalism,
neo-liberalism, globalization and enterprise
pedagogy.”
1. Debates…

31. #6 Face-to-face teaching is better than online and
blended learning…
1. Debates…

32. 1. Debates…
#6 Face-to-face teaching is better than online and
blended learning…

33. #6 Face-to-face teaching is better than online and
blended learning…
1. Debates…

34. “These studies answer the ‘‘big’’ questions (e.g., is
DE/OL more effective than classroom instruction?), but
they generally fail to establish an alignment of evidence that
addresses the ‘‘do’s’’ and ‘‘don’ts’’ of instruction via
rigorous research.” (p.89).
Bernard, R., Borokhovski, E., Schmid, R., Tamim, R., & Abrami, P. (2014). A meta-
analysis of blended learning and technology use in higher education: from the
general to the applied. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 26:87–122.
#6 Face-to-face teaching is better than online and
blended learning…
1. Debates…

35. #7 Today’s students are digital natives who expect
teachers to make extensive use of technology…
1. Debates…

36. 1985 2015
Long ago our students danced at concerts, now they
click, video, share and tweet!
#7 Today’s students are digital natives who expect
teachers to make extensive use of technology…
1. Debates…

37. Helsper, E. J., & Eynon, R. (2010). Digital natives: Where is
the evidence? British Educational Research Journal, 36 (3),
503-520.
#7 Today’s students are digital natives who expect
teachers to make extensive use of technology…
1. Debates…

38. #7 Today’s students are digital natives who expect
teachers to make extensive use of technology…
1. Debates…

39. Questions…
“A prudent question is one-half of wisdom”
Francis Bacon
What surprises you?
What do you disagree with?

40. 2. Designs…

41. Learner-Content
Interaction
Learner-learner
Interaction
Teacher-Learner
Interaction
Interactivity
Framework
2. Designs…

42. Learner-Content
Interaction
Learner-learner
Interaction
Teacher-Learner
Interaction
Interactivity
Framework
Places
Tools
Spaces
2. Designs…

43. Learner-Content
Interaction
Learner-learner
Interaction
Teacher-Learner
Interaction
Interactivity
Framework
Place of Learning
(Where Learning Ocurrs)
Mode of Learning
(How Learning Occurs)
Pace of Learning
(When Learning Occurs)
2. Designs…

44. Acquisition
Participation
The digital learning ecology…
2. Designs…

45. Acquisition
Participation
Physical Virtual
The digital learning ecology…
2. Designs…

46. Acquisition
Participation
Synchronous Asynchronous
The digital learning ecology…
2. Designs…

47. Acquisition
Participation
Synchronous Asynchronous
The digital learning ecology…
Discussion Fora
Lecture Capture
Online Clinic
Webinars Online Presentations
Wikis
ePortfolio
Online Readings
Video Streaming
Online Chat
Video Conferencing
Real-time Tests
2. Learning to become Entrepreneurial

48. Off Campus
in Class
Off Campus
out of Class
On Campus
in Class
Acquisition
Participation
On Campus
out of Class
Synchronous Asynchronous
The digital learning ecology…
2. Designs…

49. 2. Designs…
Video

50. 2. Designs…

51. Video
2. Designs…

52. ?
2. Designs…

54. 2. Designs…
Video

55. 2. Designs…

56. ‘A key principle of designing learning
for the future is to help make the
design process more explicit and
shareable’
(Conole, 2010, p.482).
2. Designs…

57. Conceptualise
What do we want to design, who for and why?
Consolidate
Evaluate and embed your design
The
7Cs Design
Framework
2. Designs…

58. Questions…
“A prudent question is one-half of wisdom”
Francis Bacon
What surprises you?
What do you disagree with?

59. 3. Dilemmas…

60. Allan, I., & Seaman, J. (2014). Grade Change: Tracking Online Education in the United
States. Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group, LLC.
#1 The challenge of student success
3. Dilemmas…

61. 3. Dilemmas…

62. 3. Dilemmas…
More with less!
#2 The challenge of academic workload

63. 3. Dilemmas…
https://peerwise.cs.auckland.ac.nz

64. #3 The challenge of professional development

65. #3 The challenge of professional development
3. Dilemmas…

66. Conclusion…

67. Conclusion…
A conclusion is the place
where you got tired of thinking
(or ran out of time)

68. “If digital learning is the
future solution for higher
education, then what is the
problem?”
Conclusion…

69. Conclusion…
LEARNING
TO BE
LEARNING
TO KNOW
LEARNING
TO DO
LEARNING
TO LIVE
TOGETHER
MAKING A BETTER FUTURE
Digital
Literacy
Digital
Inclusion
Digital
Citizenship

70. Conclusion…
LEARNING
TO BE
LEARNING
TO KNOW
LEARNING
TO DO
LEARNING
TO LIVE
TOGETHER
Digital
Literacy
Digital
Inclusion
Digital
Citizenship
The future
is what we
make it
MAKING A BETTER FUTURE

71. Conclusion…
The FUN of reflection…
F = What was the fundamental point?

72. Conclusion…
The FUN of reflection…
F = What was the fundamental point?
U = What new understanding are you
taking away?

73. Conclusion…
The FUN of reflection…
F = What was the fundamental point?
U = What new understanding are you
taking away?
N = What new thing will you do in
your teaching to make for a better
learning experience?

74. Thank
You!

75. Questions…
“A prudent question is one-half of wisdom”
Francis Bacon
http://www.slideshare.net/mbrownz

76. Professor Mark Brown
Director, National Institute for Digital Learning
mark.brown@dcu.ie
@mbrownz
http://www.slideshare.net/mbrownz
Contact Details…