E-learn Weblog of Willem van Valkenburg

Before Covid we organised an Erasmus Exchange Week for anyone interested in the teaching and learning activities of the TU Delft, including the Extension School, New Media Centre, Blended learning. Last year we started this again with Erasmus Exchange Days and this year the "normal" programme returns. From April 12 to 14 we are organising the Erasmus Exchange Week again in the TU Delft Teaching Lab.

During this Exchange Week we will cover, amongst others, the topics:

• Online education for lifelong learners, how to support and organise
• a vibrant community of lecturers contributing to innovating Delft Engineering Education
• How to successfully organise a teaching support center
• Cookbook Education Spaces: requirements for standarized fuctionalities and operations
• innovation through multimedia.

Interested in joining us that week, don't wait to register! There are only limited places available.

For European participants, you can use an Erasmus+ staff mobility grant to finance the trip.

Since a couple years the TU Delft Extension School is offering two courses on designing and teaching an online course. We have developed these courses for our own teachers to get them up prepared for offering a course via the Extension School and since 2019 we also offer these courses to anyone interested. During the pandemic, we have run these courses bi-monthly to help teacher deal with remote online teaching.

Now it was time for a revamp based on the feedback we received and the increasing need we see for educators and trainers to gain specific skills to teach online in blended or hybrid modes, both on campus and for professional education. The advantage of a new training by my colleagues at the TU Delft Extension School is that it combines hands on experimentation with personal feedback on digital course design. It focuses on innovative teaching and design methods with a learner-centred approach to help teachers achieve various goals – including converting an existing face-to-face course, moving towards blended learning, and developing stronger skills as an instructional designer.

At the end of the course, participants walk away with a practical blueprint, a storyboard, the setup of a first module on a learning platform of their choice, and a communication plan.

The 4-week long training is structured around key course development  phases: plan, produce, run, and evaluate. Bi-weekly webinars are two-fold opportunities for attendees: they receive feedback and actively connect with peers while experiencing first-hand tools and techniques for learner engagement. Demos and try-out moments are included to show what options are available and to experiment with those.

Due to its flexible, online format, the course can be started at any time that suits the learners between 28 March and 30 May. For more information – visit the course page.

Before Covid we regularly organised an Erasmus Exchange week, last one in January 2020, to share our expertise and practice on online, blended and campus education. During Covid we were too busy with all the emergency remote teaching, but this fall we have decided to pick it up. We have noticed in the last couple of months that the requests to visit our campus and hear more about our operations are picking up, so there is an interest. We did change the format because we are also organising an multiplier event for the Erasmus+ project Digitel Pro.

TU Delft Exchange Day

On 5 October 2022 a TU Delft Exchange Day on Education will be hosted at the TU Delft Teaching Lab for (international) higher education institutions.
Are you from an higher education institution and interested to learn more about education innovation and development at TU Delft? Please let us know through the registration form by clicking the button below.

Indication of the Programme Components

• Welcome & Opening by Rob Mudde, Vice Rector Magnificus/Vice President Education
• Teaching Academy and Teaching Lab by Annoesjka Cabo, Academic Director Teaching Academy
• "Engineer of the Future" by Hans Hellendoorn, Pro Vice Rector Magnificus Joint Education Affairs
• "Innovation in Engineering Education" by Remon Rooij, Delft co-leader 4TU Centre for Engineering Education
• Teaching & Learning Services by Franca Jonquiere, Manager Teaching & Learning Services
• Extension School by Arno Smets, Director of ES Education TU Delft Extension School
• NewMedia Centre: Media Production & Media Facilities for Education by Michel Beerens, Head NewMedia Centre
• Wrap up  + Drinks & Bites

Registration via our website.

DigiTeL Pro Multiplier Event

The DigiTeL Pro partnership brings together advanced "Schools" in research, innovation, and good practices in synchronous hybrid (KU Leuven), blended (TU Delft), and online and distance learning (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Open Universiteit (OUNL) and UNINETTUNO). 

The event on October 6th 12:00 - 17:00 offers you an excellent opportunity for an update of last developments, primarily for course and curriculum developers and for all those who support teaching staff and learners, and secondly for leaders who direct these processes in higher education. Relevant post-COVID issues are addressed, e.g. active learning, interaction and collaborative learning, inclusiveness, and assessment and feedback. 

The event will cover:

• Outcomes/findings on the three formats of education Synchronous Hybrid, Online, and Blended Education, shared by experts of the DigiTeL Pro partnership;
• Insights into how these theoretical formats support course design in your institution;
• Opportunities to discuss how to apply models and guidelines in practice

Please find more information on the event, such as the agenda and the registration form, on our Eventbrite page.

Location

Both events will be in the TU Teaching Lab. The Teaching Lab is the physical home of the Teaching Academy (the network for and by lecturers at the TU Delft). It is a dedicated space with special rooms for all TU Delft lecturers to connect, to share developments and innovation in education, to experiment with educational practices, and to spotlight lecturers.

Earlier this year the Dutch government changed the way professional learners can get funding for their professional development. It used to go via a tax reduction. Since this year life long learners can apply to receive 1000 euro subsidy for their training.

Off course they made the process quiet cumbersome and the yearly budget is limited. The budget is released per time period. The next batch will open on July 1st and it is expected that the budget will be used within a day.

TU Delft online courses

Since last week we have deployed the integration on the website of TU Delft Extension School to apply for this subsidy. Below you see the different steps:

Currently we have six courses that you can enroll in and apply for the STAP budget:

More information on our STAP page: https://online-learning.tudelft.nl/stap/

The TU Delft (Extension School and Teaching & Learning Services) is one of the leading partners in the Digitel Pro partnership. The DigiTel Pro partnership brings together advanced “schools” in research, innovation, and good practice in synchronous hybrid (KU Leuven), blended learning (TU Delft), and online and distance learning (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, The Open Universiteit (OUNL), UNINETTUNO). It will also focus on the student readiness for online learning (DCU-NIDL, Dublin).

Full story »

Ten years ago Open Education Global started withe the Open Education Awards. To celebrate this, David Kindler, Marcela Morales & Paul Stacey have written an interesting book to provide an overview of 10 years of Open Education Awards.

"Starting in 2011, as part of its stewarding role, Open Education Global has provided annual recognition to outstanding contributions in the global open education community, recognizing exemplary leaders, distinctive Open Educational Resources, and open projects and initiatives. As part of the 10th anniversary of these awards, OEGlobal is publishing this Education For All book collecting all ten years of award winners into a single volume. This book is a celebration of their achievements. We plan to update this book each year as a living document."

Awards for TU Delft

In these 10 years the TU Delft has received many awards for our open education activities:

• Leadership Award for Anka Mulder (2014)
• Educator Award for Felienne Hermans (2018)
• Student Award for Dirk Ulijn and Bart Meeuwissen (2019)
• Open Website Award for TU Delft OCW website (2014)
• Outstanding Course Awards for Sanitary Engineering (2012), Introduction to Aerospace Engineering I (2013), Delft Design Guide (2013), and The Human Controller (2015)
• Open MOOC Awards for Solar Energy (2014), Introduction to Water Treatment  (2014), Delft Design Approach (2015), Solving Complex Problems  (2015), Pre-University Calculus (2016)
• Open Curation / Repository Award for Grasple (2019)
• Open Policy Award for our Strategic Framework "Impact for a Better Society" (2018)

The initiative of the Open Education Awards are a great way to recognise the open education activities around the world and helps individuals in advancing their career.

The book can be download via https://awards.oeglobal.org/book/.

The DigiTel Pro partnership brings together advanced “schools” in research, innovation and good practice in synchronous hybrid (KU Leuven), blended learning (TU Delft) and online and distance learning (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, The Open University of The Netherlands, UNINETTUNO). It will also focus on the student readiness for online learning (DCU-NIDL, Dublin).

Experts develop online courses on models and guidelines for the design, development and delivery for each of these three predominant formats in a post-Corona perspective. The courses will be in line with the most recent research and innovation.

The courses will be launched on Thursday 18th of November 2021, 14.00-16.00 CET.

Please join the Launch of our Course Programme on:

• Synchronous Hybrid Education: based on settings that have in common that both on-site or 'here' students and remote or 'there' students are included simultaneously;
• Blending your Education: with a deliberate mix of synchronous and asynchronous methods: based on a course design with a conscious combination of online and offline learning activities;
• Online Distance Education: based on a course design with a continuous physical separation between teacher and student. 
• Student Readiness for Digital Education: giving students the digital edge to succeed as an online learner at university and ​setting them on the path to achieving their learning goals.

During this launch you will be able to meet the team leaders in dedicated break-out sessions.

Participation in the course programme, starting early 2022, will enable you as educator to make the transition from emergency online teaching during Covid-19 to fully professional teaching and learning in digital higher education. This first mutual acquaintance will ensure that the courses connect with your real needs and expectations. At the end of the session you will be able to continue interaction with the team leaders up till the start of the course.

Please find more information on the launch and the registration on our Eventbrite page.

This week I chaired my last board meeting of Open Education Global as president of the Board. Last year already my term as elected board member ended and this week also term as president ended.

I'm proud to see in what an excellent shape Open Education Global is in. In this blog I would like address a couple of reasons why I say that.

New strategy

Recently we published our the new strategy of OE Global: Open for Public Good. In this strategy we position OE Global as an open education steward within the education ecosystem. OEGlobal’s primary role is as a connector. We foster knowledge exchange, advance sus- tainable systemic change and open policies, amplify impact, and connect local open edu- cation efforts to global ones.

Our goals for open education are:

• Open Education is Socially Just
• Open Education is a public good
• Open Education is inclusive
• Open Education is Accessible, Affordable, and Adaptable
• Open Education is Collaborative, facilitated by community and stewards
• Open Education is impactful.

OEGlobal sees these goals for open education coming together dynamically with the learner at the centre and the whole greater than the sum of the parts.

I recommend everyone interested in open education to read the full strategic plan.

Financial Sustainable

Last year the Hewlett Foundation renewed our core operating grant for 2021-2023. We also secured other grants. Not only did our yearly budget almost double in the last 3 years, it is also secured for a couple of years. This brings OE Global in a financial stable period and means we can focus on executing our strategy.

Great staff

Earlier this year 3 employees decided (for various reasons) to leave the organisation. We managed to hire some great new staff members. Together with our Executive Director Paul Stacey I'm convinced that they will be able to further develop the organisation and execute our new strategy together with our board and our members.

President Patterson

It is always great to step down if you know that your successor will do an excellent job. In my last board meeting, the board elected Lena Patterson as president of the board. Lena has been a part of the eCampusOntario team since the organization opened shop in August 2015. She worked closely with the government to establish the consortium model in Ontario and now heads up a growing project team in her role as Senior Director, Programs and Stakeholder Relations. Lena focuses on cross-pollination, collaboration and the promotion of open education, access and innovation in online and technology-enabled teaching and learning across the province.

I have full confident that Lena will take OE Global to the next phase with the new strategic plan. I'm also happy that our two appointed board members, Catthy Casserly and Martin Dougiamas, will continue to serve on the board.

Concluding remarks

It is great time for Open Education Global and it even has a brighter future. I hope to see everone at the OE Global Conference online and hopefully in Nantes.

I continue to participate in the board as past-president. That is an non-voting position.

Open Education Global and the Université de Nantes, hosts of the Open Education Global 2021 Conference, are pleased to announce that the Call for Proposals is now open!

This year, the Open Education Global 2021 Conference will be entirely focused around the UNESCO OER Recommendation.

This important focus aims to engage the global open education community around the five action areas of the UNESCO OER Recommendation. These action areas are:

• Capacity Building,
• Policy,
• Access,
• Sustainability, and
• International Cooperation.

Due to the extraordinary times we currently live in, Open Education Global 2021 will take place over two separate but linked events: the online conference and the in-person congress.

Proposals in six languages

With the focus of the Open Education Global 2021 on the UNESCO OER Recommendation, the call will accept proposals in all six of the UNESCO official languages. There are two separate submission processes, one for Webinar Presentations and Interactive Activities, and a second for proposals of Social Activities.

The Call for Proposals to the Online Conference is now open. Submit your proposal at this link: http://bit.ly/oeglobal21.

In-person congress in Nantes

The In-person Congress (5-7 October) will happen over three days at the Université de Nantes in Nantes, France. The congress will specifically consist of specialized and thematic sessions, learning labs and more. All activities are aimed towards providing various agreed starting points from which practical recommendations will be proposed and adopted. Rapporteurs will send out reports on outputs from the online conference which will serve as inputs to the Congress.

The Université de Nantes is located in a beautiful natural environment situated in the heart of Nantes. Situated as the Loire River enters the Brittany Coast, Nantes is the sixth largest city in France and is a 2-hours from Paris. Nantes is renowned for its vitality, culture, economic development and quality of life. The Université de Nantes has two campuses in Saint-Nazaire and La-Roche-sur-Yon.

I look forward to seeing you all online and hopefully also in person in Nantes!

The TU Delft Extension School and Teaching & Learning Services are pleased to be a member of the DigiTeL Pro Strategic Partnership (Professional Development for Digital Teaching and Learning) supported by funding through the Extraordinary Erasmus+ Coronavirus response. This project involves seven European university partners and is being led by EADTU.

Partners

Next to EADTU and TU Delft, the other 7 partners are:

• Belgium: KU Leuven
• France: Fédération interuniversitaire de l'enseignement à distance (FIED)
• Italy: Universita Telematica Internationale (UNINETTUNO)
• Ireland: Dublin City University
• Netherlands: Open Universiteit
• Spain: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)

Summary of the partnership

The COVID-19 crisis has made universities switch to digital education and to re-organize their campus. In the May 2020 surveys of the European Commission, it turned out that in the first (semi-) lockdown period, 95,1% of the universities organized online and distance learning and 82,7% even online exams. All institutions set-up massive support for organizing online lectures, tutorials and videoconferencing with diverse pedagogical approaches. At all levels, emergency decisions were made.

In the second wave of COVID-19, many universities wanted to keep students on campus for face to face teaching. After a few weeks only, this seemed impossible as Europe coloured red again. Universities allowed only half or one fifth of the students in face-to-face lectures, while others attended online. Now, most universities have to go in a complete lockdown again with online and distance education. Teaching staff feel this as a disruption, requiring an extreme workload to adapt to the situation. Students started to manifest for the right of having “quality education”. Watching a video or following a lesson via zoom is no longer felt as a solution as it was in the first wave.

This is where the DigiTeL Pro Strategic Partnership (Professional Development for Digital Teaching and Learning) comes in. It brings together excellent groups of experts from universities, well-known for research and innovation in digital education and having developed good practices in digital solutions during the Corona crisis.

They are prepared to valorise their expertise in continuous professional development courses (CPD) in order to reinforce the ability of universities to provide high quality, inclusive digital education. They are at the edge of expertise in teaching and learning scenarios, connecting with main trends in practices observed during the crisis, and in the student learning experience:

• synchronous hybrid learning: based on settings that have in common that both on-site or ‘here’ students and remote or ‘there’ students are simultaneously included (synchronous hybrid learning (KU Leuven-imec);
• blended learning: based on a course design with a deliberate combination of online and offline learning activities (EMBED strategic partnership, TU Delft, KU Leuven);
• online and distance learning: based on a course design with a continuous physical separation between teacher and learner, synchronously and asynchronously (OUNL, UOC, UNINETTUNO);
• student readiness for digital learning (NIDL, Dublin City University);
• Institutional policies and strategies: based on maturity dimensions in institutional policies and quality assurance approaches for digital education (EADTU, EMBED and e-xcellence partnerships).

In the DigiTeL Pro partnership, these groups interact and cooperate for cross-development and improvement. Objectives are:

• to explore and forecast educational needs of teaching staff and learners within and after the COVID+ era;
• to exchange expertise between researchers and innovators on synchronous hybrid, blended and online distance learning, optimizing models and guidelines for short-term and future CPD;
• to design, plan and develop continuing education courses enabling anyone involved in course and curriculum development in adapting to hybrid, blended and online distance learning;
• to empower student readiness for digital learning by an online course and integrating the “student voice” in all learning scenarios;
• to reinforce the ability of universities to provide high quality, inclusive and scalable digital education.

By doing this, DigiTel Pro enables universities and EUI alliances to respond to the unstable reality in which we are living, keeping all learners included and leaving nobody behind in this disruptive challenge.

The partnership will design, develop and implement three CPD courses on respectively synchronous hybrid, blended and online teaching and learning for anyone involved in digital course and curriculum development for leaders steering this process. They will optimize models, guidelines and pedagogies leading to mature and high quality education. A course has a modular structure and will be designed in alignment with the needs of universities, strong educational concepts and relevant learning objectives.

This will accelerate the Modernization Agenda and the digital transformation of education systems across Europe (the new Digital Education Action Plan and the report on the European Education Area 2025), supporting ultimately the Green Deal.

Project details