This workshop is bringing together academic, industry, and government leaders with researchers to chart possible future courses for research universities in an environment of rapidly growing Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Participants will examine the relative advantages of outreach through traditional avenues and MOOC platforms while continuing to support traditional university commitments to research, discovery, and knowledge development. They will also consider how the new opportunities will serve or hinder the nation's goals of reaching a broader and more diverse audience, and how lifelong learning needs can be met through new partnerships with academia, industry and government. A broad diversity of participants is included in this important dialogue. The results of the workshop will enlighten policy discussions at the state and national levels. The results of the workshop will be captured in a report and widely disseminated to a diversity of stakeholders in higher education: universities, federal agencies, state governments, and professional and academic associations.
The workshop will also serve to inform the NSF WIDER program (Widening Implementation and Demonstration of Evidence-Based Reforms), which seeks to significantly scale up the use of evidence-based instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels. WIDER's focus on evidence-based approaches includes online as well as traditional pedagogical approaches.
The project team was able to organize and host three events focused on online graduate education, MOOCs, and innovation in certification and credentialing of graduate students. The first event, a workshop entitled "Envisioning the Future of Online Graduate Education in the 21st Century Research University," invited a national audience of thought leaders in academia, industry, the NSF, and policy making, to discuss the pressing challenges and opportunities in graduate education, particularly in the use of technology, open access, and workforce preparation. The workshop addressed threats and opportunities in graduate education created by advances in online instruction, visions for MOOCs in modern research universities, potential business models for online graduate education and contemporary pedagogical issues and advances in online graduate education. Attendees participated in a keynote session provided by Provost Mark Kamlet of Carnegie Mellon University, invited speaker sessions, and breakout sessions. Nearly 200 participants benefitted from the three events, including over 25 invited thought leaders from leading research universities and institutions involved in advancing graduate education. In-person, live streaming, and recorded streaming options were made available to enhance access to and participation in these events. A series of two symposia were also organized and hosted, allowing invited thought leaders to discuss practical and theoretical questions surrounding graduate education in an online space, including the use of MOOC platforms for open or low-cost delivery, development of online pedagogy, and others. Keynote speakers and breakout sessions allowed live and remote participants to discuss specific challenges and to share experiences. One particular finding that permeated all three events was the clear need for research to explore how online graduate education can be conceptualized and strategically deployed at 21st century research universities. While single institutions have tried many diverse approaches, few studies have been able to examine whether best practices can be found, particularly institutional considerations that must be taken into account when realizing online graduate and professional education, and the different technologies that can be employed for online delivery of classes, discussion, and evaluation. Another critical idea emphasized by many participants is the need for pedagogical support for faculty and administrators who seek to develop online courses. In the experience of many instructors, online delivery of coursework necessitates deliberate programming and formal pedagogy in order to generate content and assignments that meet the needs of diverse learners who take advantage of online instruction. Having experience in teaching and administering online courses is all but a requirement for many incoming faculty members joining academia, and it is rapidly becoming necessary that a high level of training and support be provided to current and aspiring faculty. Finally, in regards to MOOCs, the consensus from all three events was that universities are striving to find a business model that meets the needs of students as well as provides universities the necessary resources to continue growth and to meet broader strategic goals. Early data suggests that MOOCs are certainly of interest to post-baccalaureate learners, as they are the largest demographic group in most MOOC offerings. In current MOOC offerings, there has yet to be a "breakthrough" approach that assures immediate financial returns for institutions. Early adoption of MOOCs has been largely driven by a desire to avoid being left behind, and by the belief that, alongside goodwill and knowledge sharing, marketing and recruitment benefits would at least be realized. Additional research and experimentation is necessary to further investigate the appropriate business model for institutions. For instance, can investment in MOOCs provide benefits to residential and traditional online instruction? Additional research is also needed to explore if and how online education including MOOCs can serve underrepresented groups. Some data suggests larger populations of underrepresented groups comprise online student populations as compared to on-campus populations for the same course. But statistical certainty over a broader range of courses, and moreover, quantified effects on learning and career-related outcomes is still an open and important area of research. Finally, a website and streaming versions of selected keynotes and sessions have also been created to enhance knowledge dissemination stemming from the workshop grant.
