A literature review of the use of Web 2.0 tools in Higher Education

This review focuses on the use of Web 2.0 tools in Higher Education. It provides a synthesis of the research literature in the field and a series of illustrative examples of how these tools are being used in learning and teaching. It draws out the perceived benefits that these new technologies appear to offer, and highlights some of the challenges and issues surrounding their use. The review forms the basis for a HE Academy funded project, ‘Peals in the Cloud’, which is exploring how Web 2.0 tools can be used to support evidence-based practices in learning and teaching. The project has also produced two in-depth case studies, which are reported elsewhere (Galley et al., 2010, Alevizou et al., 2010). The case studies focus on evaluation of a recently developed site for learning and teaching, Cloudworks, which harnesses Web 2.0 functionality to facilitate the sharing and discussion of educational practice. The case studies aim to explore to what extent the Web 2.0 affordances of the site are successfully promoting the sharing of ideas, as well as scholarly reflections, on learning and teaching

Understanding The Role of a Regional Magnet School in Creative Identity Development of Ethnically and Culturally Diverse Adolescents: A Case Study

The purpose of this dissertation exploratory case study was to examine the creativity-supportive practices at an innovative regional magnet school shaping Ethnically & Culturally Diverse (ECD) students’ creative identity development as perceived by different stakeholders including ECD students enrolled in the first three cohorts, teachers, and school administrators of RichTech Regional Magnet High School [RRMHS] (pseudonym). This single qualitative case study employed a small component of a quantitative survey, the results of which guided in part the design of interview protocols and sampling procedures for recruiting qualitative participants. Using a pragmatic research lens, I obtained and analyzed the diverse qualitative data including interviews with ECD students, teachers, and school administrators, open-ended qualitative survey responses, my field notes, and reflective memos. The findings of this dissertation study demonstrated that the creative identity development of ECD students can be supported in the context of an innovative regional magnet high school in three ways: (a) through facilitation of creative learning opportunities encompassing open-endedness and flexibility, non-linear synergy, student-centered future orientation as well as productive interactions of diverse perspectives; (b) through augmenting unique strengths of an innovative regional magnet school entailing limited size of student enrollment, intentional design of integrated diverse learning environment, as well as formulation of an innovative curricular and pedagogical model; and (c) through the promotion of teacher autonomy, the sustainable rapport between teachers and school administrators, development of sound beliefs by teachers and school administrators about student creativity as well as through leveraging teachers’ prior practical experiences of teaching ECD adolescent students. These key findings, recommendations, and implications for practice and future research are discussed in light of the limitations of the present study. With the limited research on the role of unique learning environments such as an innovative magnet school in promoting ECD adolescents\u27 creativity, this study is a small first attempt to better understand the magnet school-based salient opportunities for and experiences of ECD students’ creative identity development

The Global University: The Role of Senior Managers

Contributors address the role of senior managers in relation to internationalisation, globalisation, and sustainable development and share how these often overlapping challenges can be addressed. Consideration has been given to a range of potentially competing demands including the relationship between what Paul Luker describes as the 'core mission and values of HE' and what Caruana and Hanstock describe as 'marketisation discourse'. The Global University: The Role of Senior Manager is written by higher education institution senior managers, for HEI senior managers. Supported by HEFCE Leadership, Governance and Management Funding, 'The Global University: the role of senior managers' is a companion publication to 'The Global University: the role of the curriculum'. Many of the contributors are regarded as critical champions of internationalisation in the UK as well as thoughtful strategists in the process of affecting sustainable university-wide change. To provide further food for thought, in addition to the UK contributions, a case study on university-wide approaches to the development of global citizens at the University of British Columbia and a perspective on the barriers affecting the process of internationalisation in Latin American Universities have also been included. Contributors address key concepts from a variety of perspectives and what will quickly become apparent is that the terms are not always translated in quite the same way (a way of seeing is also a way of not seeing) but in spite of this, collectively, considerable insight for moving the agenda forward is provided. At the very least, the publication will serve to inspire debate on what should constitute the vision, mission and values of a global university, within the context of global society. Given the global footprint of universities and the ability of our graduates to influence change in global society, the publication maintains that universities cannot ignore their corporate and social responsibilities: senior managers have a critical role to play as leaders of this agenda and of change that results in positive benefits for a wider stakeholder group

Virtual Internationalization in Higher Education

Digital media and information and communication technology (ICT) are being used more and more in international contexts at universities. In her English-language dissertation, the author examines how this technological potential can be used strategically to expand internationalization. The data basis of the thesis is a content analysis of contributions to international conferences on university internationalization, online and distance learning, university management and research, and ICT and internationalization. The selected abstracts were analyzed based on the model of "Comprehensive Internationalization" (CI). From the results, the author outlines a model for Virtual Internationalization (VI) that considers curricula, international cooperation, and distance learning as well as the roles of university strategy, administration, management, and teaching staff. The highly topical dissertation closes a gap in university research and offers universities valuable starting points in research and practice of internationalization.Digitale Medien und Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie (IKT) werden mehr und mehr in internationalen Kontexten an Hochschulen eingesetzt. Wie dieses technologische Potenzial strategisch für den Ausbau von Internationalisierung eingesetzt werden kann, untersucht die Autorin in ihrer englischsprachigen Dissertation. Die Datenbasis der Arbeit bildet eine Inhaltsanalyse von Beiträgen zu internationalen Konferenzen zur Hochschul-Internationalisierung, zu Online- und Fernstudium, Hochschulmanagement und -forschung sowie zu den Themen IKT und Internationalisierung. Die ausgewählten Abstracts wurden auf Grundlage des Modells der "Comprehensive Internationalization" (CI) analysiert. Aus den Ergebnissen skizziert die Autorin ein Modell für Virtuelle Internationalisierung (VI), das Curricula, internationale Kooperationen und den Bereich Fernstudium ebenso berücksichtigt wie die Rollen von Hochschulstrategie, Administration, Management und Lehrpersonal. Die hochaktuelle Dissertation schließt eine Lücke in der Hochschulforschung und bietet Hochschulen wertvolle Ansatzpunkte in Forschung und Praxis der Internationalisierung

EU–originated MOOCs, with focus on multi- and single-institution platforms

No abstract available

Participatory Collaboration: Building Partnerships in Curriculum Planning

Participatory collaboration involving multi-stakeholder engagement generates opportunities for creativity and innovation in curriculum planning, building partnerships between students, teachers, institutions, and communities.  Integrating student voices at planning and design levels places students at the center of this process, where meaningful input can help shape the overall learning experience. A participatory culture aids in shifting the focus of education to a learning paradigm and enhances our capacity to support and promote critical thinking across the curriculum. It embraces a constructivist view of teaching and learning, promoting and supporting authentic learning spaces within and beyond the confines of the traditional classroom setting

Harnessing Technology: new modes of technology-enhanced learning: a case study series

This report presents the outcomes and conclusions from a series of 18 case studies exploring the innovative use of technology for learning and teaching using new modes of technology