eLearning and MOOCs: Past, Present and Future
Please join us for this lunchtime discussion, which will draw on recent MOOC and online Master’s program developments at Edinburgh and Open University, the leading provider of part-time higher education in Scotland.
The University of Edinburgh is an ancient Institution that is surprised to find itself reaching millions of learners in more than 200 countries though it's MOOCs. Edinburgh is developing routes from its 40 MOOCs to its conventional courses and its 80 online Master’s courses.
The Open University was founded as a distance learning university.
The distinguished speakers will review the development of eLearning decade by decade beginning with work at Stanford and MIT in the sixties. They will focus on the explosion of activity following the successful launch of MOOCs in 2012. They will identify some of the ways MOOCs differ from other forms of eLearning and discuss some recent innovations such as real-time MOOCs and the construction of conventional educational awards from MOOCs. The speakers will conclude with some predictions about the impact of eLearning on Higher Education in the next ten years.
About the Speakers
Professor Sir Timothy O'Shea BSc (Sussex), PhD (Leeds), DUniv (Heriot-Watt), DUniv (Strathclyde), LL.D hc (McGill), D.hc (St. Petersburg HSS), FAcSS, FRSE, was appointed Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh in October 2002. He has worked as a researcher in the Computer Science Department of the University of Texas at Austin, the Bionics Research Lab at the University of Edinburgh and the Systems Concepts Lab, Xerox PARC, California. In 1978 he founded the Computers and Learning Research Group at the Open University and was promoted to a personal chair in Information Technology and Education in 1986. He was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Open University in 1993.
Eileen Scanlon is Regius Professor of Open Education, an award she received for her exceptional contributions to the fields of educational technology and public engagement with the sciences. Her award also reflects the exceptionally high quality of teaching and research within The Institute of Educational Technology (IET). Eileen has a background in science communication teaching and research, and educational technology. She holds a number of senior management roles and visiting posts. She is Associate Director of Research and Innovation in the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University, UK. As Associate Director she has institutional responsibility for developing research strategy in educational technology. Eileen is also Visiting Professor in Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh and a Trustee at Bletchley Park. Previously, she has held visiting academic appointments at University of California (Berkeley) and the University of London.Hosted By:
Questions?
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