Overview of the FUTURA Project for the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). Updated slides from presentation I gave at UOC on 20 April 2016.

1. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
FUTURA
Future
of
University
Teaching:
Update
and
a
Roadmap
for
Advancement
An exploratory study

2. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
1. Objectives
2. Project phases
3. Outputs
4. Findings and guidelines
Table of
contents

3. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
1 Objectives

4. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
41 General objective of FUTURA project
To identify trends and innovations in online and
blended provision of Higher Education, in order to
support distance learning institutions in making
informed decisions for the future about online
teaching methodology.

5. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
ObjectiusObjectius
2 Project phases

6. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
1
6
5
4
3
2
The phases of
FUTURA can best be
explained by telling a
story…
6

7. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
The tree in the picture
represents a distance
education institution.
One day, the tree
embarked on a journey
of discovery…
Phase 1: Establishing the baseline 7

8. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
We started by looking at what was
happening close to home:
• Identification of the challenges and
opportunities facing distance education
institutions
• Literature review and desk research into
current practices in online HE
Phase 1: Establishing the baseline 8

9. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
Then the sea came
up to meet the tree,
and whispered in its
ear. The tree began
to imagine all the
kinds of other life
forms that might exist
out there…
Phase 2: Imagining the future 9

10. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
We imagined the future:
• Scenario planning focus group session
with 25 e-learning experts at UOC
• Consultations with 10 international
experts, using “blue-ocean” thinking
Phase 2: Imagining the future 10

11. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
And so the tree boarded a little boat and went on
a journey of discovery around the world…
11Phase 3: Identifying examples of innovative practice

12. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
We looked for examples of innovative
practices:
• Discovery of 100+ examples from
different institutions worldwide
described as being innovative in their
own contexts
• (We recognised that what is innovative
in one context may not be innovative in
another.)
Phase 3: Identifying examples of innovative practice 12

13. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
Phase 4: Selection of inspirational, transferable practices
The tree
stopped to
reflect on
its
journey…
13

14. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
We carried out an in-depth analysis of the
examples:
• Identification of 30 inspiring and
potentially transferable initiatives
• Triangulation of the examples with the
expert input and the literature
Phase 4: Selection of inspirational, transferable practices 14

15. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
Phase 5: Synthesis of findings
The tree
found there
were five
main ideas
emerging out
of all the new
things it had
seen…
15
Idea!
Idea!
Idea!
Idea!
Idea!

16. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
Phase 5: Synthesis of findings 16
We discovered that all the examples could
be characterised by the following IDEAS:
• Intelligent use of technologies
• Distributed responsibility for delivery
• Engaging pedagogy
• Agile curriculum
• Situated learning

17. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
Phase 6: Report on next-generation pedagogy for onine education
The tree
disseminated
these ideas
within its
community of
practice, and
new seeds
began to
appear...
17

18. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
ObjectiusObjectius
3 Outputs

19. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
3 Outputs
Collaboration between
institutions
Internationalisation
Learning analytics
Openness
Flipped classroom
BYOD
Teacher development
Flexibility and
personalisation
E-assessment tools &
practices
Informal learning
Open Educational
Resources and
MOOCs
Vocational and
Educational Training
Digital literacy
Collaboration
Universities/employers
Focus of literature
19
Literature review / desk research

20. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
20
Challenges and opportunities facing distance learning institutions
3 Outputs
Student
enrolments
Employability and
the nature of work
Excellence in
research
Competitiveness
Cross-
disciplinarity
Flexibility Changes in degree
structure in EU
Collaborative
governance
Internationalisation
Benchmarking
with other
institutions
Teaching roles
& support
Tools and
resources
Prevent dropout

21. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
Innovativ
e
teaching
practices
Innovative approaches & methodologies
3 Outputs

22. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
223 Outputs

23. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
ObjectiusObjectius
4
Findings and
guidelines

24. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
244 Findings
Source:
http://hdl.handle.net/
10609/51441
IDEAS for next-
generation
pedagogy
emerging from
FUTURA project
https://magic.piktochart.com/output/14507466-futura-ideas

25. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
25IDEAS for next-generation pedagogy

26. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
26IDEAS for next-generation pedagogy

27. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
27IDEAS for next-generation pedagogy

28. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
28IDEAS for next-generation pedagogy

29. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
29IDEAS for next-generation pedagogy

30. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
UOC eLearn Center Project Team:
Lourdes Guàrdia: lguardia@uoc.edu
Cris Girona: cgirona@uoc.edu
elearncenter@uoc.edu
elearncenter.uoc.edu
Contact
@eLC_UOC
elearncenter
Elearncenter
eLearnCenter
Art of E-learning FUTURA project team: Gabi Witthaus and Brenda Padilla
Original artwork © George Sfougaras

31. eLearn Center
Shaping learning. Rethinking teaching
31
FUTURA Report:
Witthaus, G., Padilla Rodriguez, B.C., Guàrdia Ortiz, L.
and Girona Campillo, C. (2016). Next Generation
Pedagogy: IDEAS for Online and Blended Higher
Education. Final report of the FUTURA (Future of
University Teaching: Update and a Roadmap for
Advancement) project. Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
http://openaccess.uoc.edu/webapps/o2/handle/
10609/51441
IDEAS Graphic:
https://magic.piktochart.com/output/14507466-futura-
ideas
5 References