Abstract:
Closed campuses, working remotely, and physical distancing have changed the way we work, teach, learn, shop, attend conferences, and interact with family and friends. But the Covid-19 pandemic has not changed what we know about creating high-end online education. Two decades of research has shown that online education often fails to fulfill its promise, and the emergency shift to remote instruction has, for many, justified their distrust and dislike of online learning. Low interactivity remains a widely recognized short-coming of current online offerings. Low interactivity results, in part, from many faculty not feeling comfortable being themselves online. The long-advocated for era of authentic assessments is needed now more than ever. Finally, greater support is needed for both underrepresented students and for faculty to move beyond basic online instruction to create a strong continuum of care between the teaching and learning environment and the student support infrastructure. For those who have been long-term champions of online education, it has never been more important to confront the three biggest challenges that continue to haunt online education – interactivity, authenticity, and support. Only by confronting these challenges squarely can instructors, educational developers, and their institutions take huge steps towards better online instruction in the midst of a pandemic and make widespread, high-quality online education permanently part of the “new normal.”
Useful post as badges are something we are considering using for some of the courses we run.
I think there is value in a system that captures skills development evidence on a lifelong basis that many providers could work with. Just because the term 'Badges' is used should not allow it to be trivialised. It could fill a valuable gap that enables employers to find graduates who can meet their immediate and long-term needs. I am following this to see how it works out in practice.
How might education change if Open-Badges become as valuable as a College or University Degree? What about High School? the future of education is moving towards greater individualization while the "Education Systems" move to greater standardization and making the experience the same for all learners. Doesn't this create a conflict?