Category: Policy and Strategy

Associations, Digital Learning, Leadership, Learning Futures, Policy and Strategy

Leadership Academy Expands to Greece

The Empower Online Learning Leadership Academy (EOLLA) is a unique and challenging professional development programme. EOLLA.JPGIt was developed by Professor Mark Brown and Fred de Vries with the aim of supporting the needs of both experienced and new and emerging institutional leaders responsible for a variety of open, online and flexible learning initiatives in higher education. Previously Mark has contributed as a faculty member to the Institute for Emerging Leaders in Online Learning offered by the Online Learning Consortium in the United States as well as a similar programme in Australia.

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The first EOLLA programme was launched last year in a partnership between the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) and the European Consortium for Innovative Universities (ECIU). In 2017, EOLLA has been offered at the end of May to a cohort of 15 participants who met in Brussels at the end of May and more recently to a group of more than 20 staff at the Hellenic Open University in Patras, Greece.

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During the two-day programme, which usually begins with an online primer, participants have an opportunity to share experiences and learn from a number of authentic case studies intended to reveal both the challenges and opportunities of leading in an era of change. EOLLA2The programme is designed to promote strategic thinking in the context of a number of wicked problems facing higher education and explore future scenarios for preferred new and emerging models of teaching and learning. As the two different EOLLA programmes offered this year demonstrate there are benefits of working with a single institution but equally when participants can learn from each other across institutions.

A brief presentation about EOLLA appears in the following slide-deck, which was presented at in May 2017 a visionary leadership summit at UNESCO’s Headquarters in Paris.

 

Development, Digital Learning, Learning Futures, Policy and Strategy

Success of DCU-Fuse in Reimagining the Future

DCU-Fuse was a unique 24 hour online envisioning and collaborative brainstorming experience, which took place over 30th & 31st March 2017, in partnership with students to engage stakeholders in development of a new 5-year Strategic Plan (2017-2022). FuseThis innovative project, first of its kind in Europe, was framed by Dublin City University’s (DCU) mission of ‘transforming lives and societies’ and strongly anchored in five core principles of ethical leadership: inclusion, openness, collaboration, sustainability and transformation for better futures. The objective was to canvas the community for ideas using an innovative online platform during World Open Education Week to shape and reimagine the next phase of the University’s development.

The unique DCU-Fuse platform was structured to support 32 separate online conversations over 24-hours across four channels, covering a variety of themes, which engaged the DCU community in meaningful dialogue related to the University’s future. NIDL staff was actively involved in leading and contributing to these conversations. Almost 6000 separate online posts and contributions and over 7000 likes were shared, along with around 80,000 page views, over 24-hours. Importantly, the DCU-Fuse experience also established thriving physical hubs on each academic campus supported by students throughout the 24 hours.

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A distinctive feature of the DCU-Fuse experience was the underlying conceptual framework designed to reflect the University’s mission, core principles of ethical leadership, and contemporary models of open, inclusive and transformative online learning. More specifically. DCU-Fuse integrated key elements from three seminal theories on learning technology innovation. Twitter Fuse

Firstly, Laurillard’s (2013) Conversational Framework informed the platform design and engagement model by ensuring rich feedback loops. Secondly, Garrison, Anderson and Archer’s (2000) Community of Inquiry Framework was influential in fostering a strong sense of presence and community amongst participants, augmented by rich interactive content. Notably, each conversation was facilitated by a member of the University community, with support from a team of moderators who participated in relevant training. Thirdly, Hattie’s (2015) concept of Visible Learning based on a synthesis of over 1200 meta-analyses informed the platform usability and structure of conversations to enhance the flow of activities over the 24 hour period.

The DCU-Fuse experience was also invaluable in leveraging the University’s wider digitalisation agenda. Put simply, DCU “walked the talk” by infusing technology throughout our institutional culture in a truly open, inclusive and transformative experience. As Niall Behan, the new incoming Students’ Union President, comments:

“DCUFuse brought large-scale town hall meetings to the 21st Century online environment. This level of commitment to ensuring all opinions are heard, is part of a holistic model everyone at DCU is proud of. By being self-reflective and inquisitive in this manner, all aspects of the student experience can be improved, creating an even better institution”.

The following presentation on DCU-Fuse experience was later presented in June by Professor Mark Brown at the annual European Distance and e-Learnng Network (EDEN) conference.