A posthumanist critique of flexible online learning and its “anytime anyplace” claims

In this Developmental Phenomenographic study, twenty-six Educational Designers/Developers’ (EDs’) understandings and experiences of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) innovation both generally, and whilst working under TEQSA Threshold Standards (TS), were investigated with the aim of illuminating how TEL innovation is shaped within Australian Higher Education (HE) contexts. I employ Feenberg’s (2005, 2006) Critical Theory of Technology as a lens for exploring EDs’ understandings of TEL innovation and the socio-political environments in which HE sits. The variances in understanding and experiencing is illuminated by four outcome spaces, with each showing understandings and experiences in a hierarchical manner, and with higher levels subsuming understandings and experiences of lower levels. In outcome space one, EDs’ understandings of TEL innovation in general were labelled as: Maintained; Enhanced or; Transformed; whilst in outcome space two, their experiences of TEL innovation on-the-ground were labelled as Sustaining, Constraining, or Influencing. In outcome space three, EDs understandings of TEL work under TEQSA TS were Static; Narrow or; Broad; whilst in outcome space four, their experiences were: Maintained; Constrained; Supported or; Encouraged. The inclusion of a referential aspect of Support suggests that EDs believe that support via projects or strategies offer additional reinforcement when it comes to innovating under TEQSA TS. Further presented is an analysis of: outcome space one cross referenced with outcome space two; and outcomes space three cross referenced with outcome space four. Variations here were attributed to the EDs general understanding of TEL innovation and the socio-political influences that they encounter on a daily basis. Overall, it is suggested that the variation of EDs’ experiences of TEL innovation under TEQSA TS were similar to that of generally innovating. One difference was that institutional projects and strategies were seen as beneficial to innovating with TEL and working under TEQSA TS, whilst outside of this, they were to some extent seen as constraining innovations. The study also constructively critiques the concepts of pedagogy before technology; evidence and best practice, which were repeatedly mentioned by EDs as underpinning their understandings and conceivably shaping their experiences of TEL.

Fully online and hybrid study programmes have emerged at a rapid rate across higher education. However, the negative experience of some students, instructors and institutions with emergency remote instruction during the COVID 19 pandemic has led to public concerns over the quality of digital study programmes. As a result, public authorities across the OECD have started to reflect on how to embed the quality assurance (QA) of digital education into their existing QA frameworks for higher education. This Working Paper aims to assist policy makers as they seek to adapt their higher education QA systems to digital education by: reviewing the advice and guidance provided by international and regional quality assurance organisations; analysing the standards and indicators for digital higher education developed by QA agencies; identifying trends and best practice from higher education institutions for the quality management of digital study programmes; and discussing how public authorities can support institutions to enhance their internal quality management policies and processes for digital teaching and learning

The paper discusses the impact of development of knowledge economy to the universities’ activities, suggesting that providing the status of the product to the knowledge as the main field of activities of universities change not only the operating conditions of universities, but at the same time stress the meaningful contribution of universities to economic growth and social development. Changing conditions for delivery of universities’ practices encourage universities to become a part of a knowledge network as innovation agents to enhance cooperation with industry. Declining public resources, growing competition in the dissemination of knowledge in the scientific field stimulate universities’ entrepreneurship, application of their performance and results. All this justifies the idea of transformation of universities’ mission: from traditional universities’ functions, such as delivery of academic studies and scientific research, to dissemination of scientific knowledge, a traditional dissemination of scientific knowledge changes has been supplemented by application of scientific knowledge in collaboration with industry or for wellbeing of society. Contemporary changes taking place in universities consolidate the formation of the third mission of universities. The third mission of universities is based on the concept of an entrepreneurial university and the prominence of provided practical benefits of the universities’ activities. According to a theoretical approach, the third mission of universities is understood through the changes in the higher education systems associated with the fact that the traditional European higher education as a part of state-led social policy with a focus on meeting the social, cultural needs of society, creation of public resources changes because of growing importance of market ideology, neoliberalism, that reasons implementation of new public management in higher education. New public management stresses changing performance of universities toward practical applicability of scientific knowledge and meeting not only social needs of society, but market needs, as well.The article states that in 2009, when reform of Lithuanian national system of higher education made some corrections in the system of higher education funding, universities spurring competition created conditions for entrepreneurial universities. Changes in the system of higher education also made an impact to requirements of application of scientific results in study process, as well as meeting the needs and integration of various stakeholders into universities’ activities.The aim of the present research is to assess whether the reform of Lithuanian national higher education that started in 2009 had a mission to stress practical application of scientific knowledge, response to the market needs, and that are declared in official documents are integrated into requirements for national study programs (for preparation of documentation of newly created study programs and for the valuation of study programs). The task of the research is to analyse changes in national requirements and their correspondence with the main goals of reform of national higher education system.Regulatory documents were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and comparative methods. It was found that after 2009 Lithuanian national higher education reforms in the updated regulatory requirements for study programs there was manifested the requirement to provide arguments that showed accordance of study program with public interest and the employers’ needs. The research showed an increase of importance in focus on practical adaptability after 2009 national higher education reforms: in regulatory documents that existed till 2009 there were no intentions of integration of study process with stakeholders’ involvement that led toward meeting the needs of labor market and society. The study also revealed that in Lithuanian regulatory requirements for study programs – regulatory documents for proposal of newly developed study programs and in criteria for evaluation and accreditation of study programs – there has already been implemented a requirement of fulfilling practical applicability of the results and meeting the needs of employers that goes in a line with the third mission of universities stressing the practical benefit aspect of study programs. In the regulatory requirements for evaluation and accreditation of study programs, there are more substantially presented requirements for fulfilling practical applicability of study results in relation with needs of labor market and this requirement goes with a highlight of the role of the social partners in development and implementation of study program.

Using a three-stage explanatory sequential design approach, this thesis examined the effectiveness of support for technology enhanced learning (TEL) within United Kingdom (UK) higher education (HE) institutions and the role of organisational culture on successful adoption of TEL. The research is framed within the perspective of institutional heads of TEL. Data were collected via a survey of 33 institutional representatives from the Heads of e-Learning Forum, followed up by in-depth interviews with five heads of TEL. The initial findings were discussed and verified via an open TweetChat with 24 participants in TEL support roles, including heads of TEL, and through a directed content analysis of the Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association (UCISA) TEL Case Studies. The findings identified a predominant TEL support model within UK HE as having a primary TEL team based in a central department, often working in conjunction with other central teams supporting TEL and alongside some local TEL support, typically unconnected from the primary TEL team. TEL support initially evolved organically within institutions; more recently there has been a shift towards planned re-organisation of TEL support. The research identified three key factors relevant to successful adoption of TEL: 1. size and location of TEL support teams; 2. how institutions identify and support local needs, and 3. governance structures for TEL. The findings also discussed the role of organisational culture on the successful adoption of TEL and identified two key factors relating to discipline specific needs and the role of influential people. One output of this thesis is the development of a draft Framework for Action, which is a set of self-reflexive, evaluative questions based on the factors identified in the research to enable heads of TEL or senior managers to reflect on their TEL support model and identify areas for change.

As more educational institutions move from the traditional classroom setting to a more high-tech learning environment with a use of a Learning Management Software (LMS), changes need to be realized in the different changes in the learning needs of adult learners, as well as the overall educational goals. While many adult learners have a variety of learning needs and wants, the educational system in many countries has been slow in changing. However, with the onset of virtual (online) learning, many educational institutions have realized that educational needs for students, business, industry, as well as cultural factors have changed. In today's learning environment, learners have an immediate need for education, but they also need to plan for their educational goals beyond the completion of the course or program of study. Thus, this paper will address the changes in the learning environment, changes for the adult learner and industry, and changes in overall educational goals and those involved in the educational process. I. INTRODUCTION Education has been evolving since the days of Socrates, but some educators have continued to cling on the Socratic method of teaching with no open mind for changes or enhancements. What does this say to our system of education and our future minds if there are not changes, updates or even minor modifications? This paper will help to explore how education has been changing as a result of the technological evolution brought about by the use of personal computers, as well as the innovative and creative approaches and strategies that forward thinkers in the field of virtual (online) learning have presented to the academic community. For the purposes of this paper virtual learning and online learning will be used interchangeably, meaning the same line of thinking but offering a difference of terms used in the industry in various educational institutions which incorporates the use of learning management systems (LMS) in order to provide such virtual learning. While one can ponder the history of education and how it has slowly progressed due to the ―control‖ of certain authorities in government, education, and society, the key aim of this paper will be to provide a quick update on brief historical changes as the paper moves towards discussing today's actual teaching practices. In fact, the foundation of this paper will be focused on virtual learning and its impact on education and the adult learner. Specifically, key segments of this paper will help to build up an argument to demonstrate how current best practices in virtual learning can be applied not only in the virtual learning environment, but also in the Face-to-Face (F2F) physical learning environment (since some people still want to be in a physical classroom for instruction). The next section will provide a brief overview of what is online learning and its role and function in today's education of adult learners.

The article expounds questions concerning Quality assurance of Higher education, related to the entry of Russia into the united European Higher Education Area. The main emphases is focused on the necessity to create the system for Quality assurance of Russian Higher education, which will be harmonized with European systems. Comparing of Russian and European approaches in Quality assurance of Higher education is drawn. Russian system of Quality assurance of Higher education is considered on four levels: State level, level of Higher educational institution, level of society and international level; for each level the main elements of a system are determined. Since the European approach separates the Quality assurance system into two levels, e.g. internal and external, a conversion to comparable levels is being proposed. Characteristics of EURopean ACcredited Engineer (EUR-ACE) Framework Standards are expounded. These Standards have been developed, fi rst of all, for facilitation of the procedure of acceptance of degrees and qualifi cations as well as Quality assurance of Study Programmes in European Higher Education Area. The comparison of requirements of Federal State Educational Standards for Higher education in Russian Federation and EUR-ACE Framework Standards is produced on the example of Masters’ Study programmes in Engineering. The comparison exposed similarities and, at the same time, considerable differences in examined approaches. So, the results of studies are formulated in different “coordinate systems”: according with kinds of activities in Federal State Educational Standards for Higher education, but according to the “cycle” of Engineering activity in EURACE Framework Standards. However, if the task for harmonization of standards (or requirements) could be considered out of just simple coincidence between their structures and/or definitions and terms, than the principle contradictions between European and Russian approaches in Quality assurance will not appear. It means that the ways of harmonization of European and Russian requirements to Study Programmes’ Quality assurance could be found. And the logical part of implementation of international Quality management schemes will be the accreditation of Russian Study programmes in international organizations and networks. In order to ensure the effectiveness of such tasks, it is necessary to develop an appropriate tools, which could help to formalize and systematize procedures of Study Programmes’ Quality assurance with a glance of requirements of European standards. The experience of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) on Quality assurance of Study Programmes is discussed, in particular: development and appraisal of Technique for monitoring of Study Programmes and of the Model for on-line Quality Assurance of Study Programmes with a glance of requirements of European standards, which have been created in frames of the project TEMPUS EQUASP («On-line (Electronic) Quality Assurance of Study Programmes») with participation of SPbPU. Implementation of proposed tools ensures the integrity and authenticity of information on all aspects of the realization of educational process, fulfi llment of all-European requirements on Study Programmes’ accreditation, harmonization of Russian and European Higher education systems, and, thus, forms the basis for Study Programmes’ accreditation in international organizations and networks. The Model for on-line Quality Assurance of Study Programmes is a powerful tool, which allows to bring the process of Quality Assurance of Study Programmes into accord with European standards and guidelines, to improve quality of Programmes, to increase their transparency and comparability.

Education is a human right and plays a decisive role in capacity building from the pre-school level to professional, under-, and postgraduate university study programmes in higher education institutions and beyond, such as summer schools or as a part of lifelong education for a general audience. It gives us a profession or helps the general population and diverse stakeholders (e.g., policy and decision makers) increase society’s resilience against natural hazards, such as landslides. Thus, education finds a principal place also in numerous international documents accepted by the UN organizations.The article looks at education as a topic of international strategic documents on disaster risk reduction. It uses diverse web tools and databases to assess worldwide efforts in teaching/education on landslides and their disaster risk reduction at higher education levels and beyond. The focus is on the higher education study programmes offering courses on slope stability and landslide mitigation. This topic is widely covered by study programmes in the field of disaster risk management and classical study programmes in civil, geological, geotechnical engineering, as well as in geology and geography. The second cycle covers the landslide topic, i. e. master study programmes and university programmes are prevailing. There is an apparent lack of academic programmes offered as blended programmes or distance learning programmes in disaster risk reduction, including landslide risk. Certificates and diploma levels prevail among academic programmes offered as online courses or continuing education.The web search found a few (summer) schools dedicated to landslide topics and a variety of other open-access material that can be used for education and capacity building, such as blogs, databases, teaching tools, presentations, or video lectures.The International Consortium on Landslides might offer collected information in this article on its web pages under the topic “Educational tools” and then open it up to their members and landslide community to contribute to the content by sending links to elsewhere freely available educational material in landslide disaster risk reduction.

The article "The use of online platforms and digital technologies in the system of higher education of the Republic of Kazakhstan" considers the topical issue of using online platforms and digital technologies in the educational process in Kazakhstan. This paper provides an overview of existing national and international projects aimed at developing online education in Kazakhstan. Also shown are the results of a study on students' perception of the possibilities of online education and the level of their readiness to use digital technologies in the educational process, the advantages and disadvantages of online education and digital technologies are considered, recommendations for improving the quality of education when using these technologies in higher education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The purpose of this article is to study the use of online platforms and digital technologies in the higher education system of the Republic of Kazakhstan. To achieve the purpose, an analysis of scientific publications was carried out, a review of world research, also conducted a survey and interviews among students, teachers and ICT experts of Baishev University and Aktobe Regional University named after K. Zhubanov. The results of the study show that the use of online platforms and digital technologies in higher education of the Republic of Kazakhstan has great potential to improve the quality of education and expand the accessibility of education. However, to use these technologies effectively, barriers must be removed and problems that may limit their effectiveness must be addressed. In general, the article presents scientific findings that can help improve the use of online platforms and digital technologies in higher education in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The first reports of Web-based medical education appear in 1992, building on 30 years of computer-assisted instruction. Proponents claimed computer-assisted instruction is superior to text-based, lecture, and traditional educational methods for reasons that include control by the learner over content, time, and place of learning; enhancement of learning, reasoning, and efficiency; and cost savings. Many studies that reported advantages contained methodologic flaws and reported advantages unrelated to computer-specific features. Web-based learning (WBL) represents a further evolution of computer-assisted instruction. Technical advantages of WBL include universal accessibility, ease in updating content, and hyperlink functions that permit cross-referencing to other resources. These technical advances, specifically hyperlink and searching capabilities, fit the constructivist learning theory, where learners search out and create their own knowledge bases. However, as was evident with computer-assisted instruction, potential advantages may not translate into significant improvements in educational outcomes. With the widespread adoption of WBL, it is critical that medical educators have evidence regarding its performance as a learning medium. This paper reviews the medical, dental, and nursing WBL evaluation literature to: (1) identify which facets of WBL have been evaluated, (2) describe the evaluation strategies used, (3) synthesize the findings, and (4) discuss educational implications and future research directions.

This paper describes five different pilot case studies which show how mini-MOOCs were integrated into study programs in higher education during COVID-19. The pilot case studies were conducted in five different countries (Germany, Italy, Spain, Romania and Slovenia) in the first quarter of 2020 as part of the Open Virtual Mobility project. Open Virtual Mobility project (OpenVM) is a three year (2017-2020) strategic partnership for innovation and the exchange of good practices founded by the European Erasmus+ program of the European Commission. One of the key outcomes of the Open Virtual Mobility project is the Open Virtual Mobility Learning Hub (OpenVM Learning Hub), an online learning environment for the development, assessment and recognition of virtual mobility skills in higher education. The OpenVM Learning Hub hosts a set of eight mini-MOOCs, each dedicated to a specific competency cluster. Based on small-scale pilots at the universities in the five countries, this paper describes the design of OpenVM mini-MOOC, spotlights different educational approaches for integrating MOOCs into study programs during COVID-19 and highlights diverse objectives, attitudes and expectations of educators who piloted the integration of the mini-MOOCs during the pandemic. The paper explores differences in integration of traditional MOOCs and mini-MOOCs and concludes with recommendations for embedding mini-MOOCs into academic programs in view of rapid (digital) transformations in higher education such as the one caused by COVID-19.

This Special Issue was conceived and developed following a series of international conferences held in Asia, with a particular focus on critically reflecting upon higher education development in the region from broader social and political economy perspectives. Some of the papers in this Special Issue were selected from presentations in the East Asia Social Policy (EASP) Research Network Conference successfully held in Taiwan in 2018, while others were chosen from international events held at Lingnan University in Hong Kong presenting critical reviews and reflections on internationalization, marketization and graduate employment of higher education in Asia. This introductory article puts the discussions of the selected papers in this issue in context, with critical reflections on the key issues being examined in these papers. The Special Issue is published when the world is still confronting the unprecedented global health crisis resulted from the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic. This article discusses the higher education development trends in Asia through the massification, diversification and internationalisation processes in transforming the higher education system and examines how these development trends are affected by the COVID‐19 crisis.

Quality management [1] has been an issue in Dutch higher education since the 1980s. Quality assessment (QA) of education was introduced on the political agenda as part of the new policy of the government, with the policy paper Higher Education: Autonomy and Quality (1985). In exchange for a larger measure of administrative autonomy, the universities promised to retain and enhance their levels of quality in education. Quality assessment then appeared on a systematic and nationwide scale in 1988, when the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) implemented its new responsibility. The VSNU QA system consists of an external Visiting Committee (VC) for each discipline or cluster of study programmes [2] operating nationwide. To prepare for the VC, those responsible for each study programme are required to write a self-evaluation (we will take 'self-evaluation' and 'self-study' to be synonyms). When the VC has visited all study programmes in its 'area', it writes a report based on the self-evaluations that were its input and on the experience of the visits to the locations. These visits usually last for two intensive days, during which the VC talks to representatives of all actors involved in the study programme (including students) and at the end of which, based on the self-evaluation and the impressions of the visit, a preliminary comment and judgment about the study programme is given by the chair. This text, after being commented on by the study programme, is included in the report of the visiting committee. The comments, recommendations and judgments about the individual study programmes are preceded in the report by a chapter on the general 'state of the art', shared problems and so on in the discipline covered. The self-evaluations and the report by the VC are the key documents in this quality spiral, of which the second cycle is starting in 1994. In 1990 a parallel system of QA was introduced by the VSNU counterpart, the HBO Council, for the non-university sector. The VC's judgments and self-evaluations are intended, in the first place, to enhance the quality of the study programme; accountability to the government and society in general is only the second goal (Vroeijenstijn & Acherman, 1990). This raises the question of to what extent the results of the evaluations are really utilised. Commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Science, in parallel with a 'mid-term review' by the Inspectorate of Higher Education (1992), the authors started a research project, the central question of which can be formulated briefly as: What are the effects of the QA system on the quality activities of higher education institutions? This project was not intended as an evaluation of the evaluation system 181

Introduction. Digital education today is a new phenomenon for many countries of the world. In its most general form, it represents the next stage of informatization of education, but it has its own specific features. The author continues a number of previous studies on the problems of informatization of education, information socialization of personality, formation of information culture. Scientists are actively studying the problems associated with the digitalization of higher education. The range of these problems is quite wide and each of them arises on the basis of various contradictions that are studied in different areas of scientific knowledge: sociology, economics, pedagogy, philosophy, cultural studies, etc. To see the possible negative consequences of the transition to digital education and take measures to level them, it is necessary to identify and systematize these contradictions and problems. This will make it possible to develop programs and proposals to improve the quality and effectiveness of digital higher education based on an integrated system approach. The aim of the study is to analyze and systematize the main contradictions and problems of digital higher education in Russia. Materials and Methods. The methodology and methods of the study were the methods of analytical review of domestic and foreign literature on the development of digital education. Further, on the basis of methods of analysis, comparison, generalization and principles of dialectics, a systematization of the main contradictions and problems that arise in the system of modern higher education in Russia in the process of its digitalization was carried out. Results. The study showed that the main contradictions and related problems of digital higher education can be divided into three groups: within pedagogical activity between traditional and digital forms of education, training and upbringing; between digital and traditional forms of elements of education (subject, object, means, environment, conditions, goals, result); between elements of the main subsystems of culture (information, praxiological and axiological), the formation of which is the main goal of pedagogical activity. Discussion and Conclusions. The study can be used to build models of digital educational activities that enable you to learn new principles of the relationship of digital education, training, and education in a digital information culture of a modern society, a new status and role of subjects of pedagogical activity, a new paradigm of pedagogical interaction, given a system of contradictions between traditional and digital mechanisms of socialization.

This paper discusses the state of digital citizenship in higher education, with a focus on literature review and educational approaches, pedagogical strategies, and challenges for improvement. It includes a survey of 60 respondents, which explores students’ perceptions and experiences related to digital citizenship at the undergraduate level of studies. This research examines the key aspects of digital citizenship education, pedagogical methods, various strategies and their effectiveness, demographic factors, limitations of current research, the role of technology and the challenges that educators face, curriculum changes, and development. By promoting digital citizenship education activities, institutions, and educators are expected to contribute through collaboration with the private sector, and student engagement and activism. The study found that rapid technological advancements were perceived as limitations in digital citizenship education. The findings show that respondents strongly favor comprehensive ways to teach digital citizenship, often endorsing multifaceted tactics covering a range of subject areas. Hence, there is broad recognition of the impact of demographic factors such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status on students’ perception of digital citizenship education. The results highlight the potential of digital skills enhancement and learning and the evolving of digital platforms in higher education study programs, the need for diverse teaching methods, integrated curriculum, and improvement of collaboration between educational institutions and the private sector. This research adds to the general knowledge of digital citizenship education, by providing insights for higher education institutions, students, educators, and policymakers, for developing inclusive digital citizenship programs in higher education.

Online courses changed the landscape of higher education in the World, but their acceptance by lecturers in Russian universities is incomplete. The study aims to reveal a general attitude of online courses among lecturers in Russian universities; to quantify factors that motivate lecturers to create and modify online courses; to identify lecturers' fears regarding their employment status due to the widespread adoption of online courses into the practice of higher education. The quantitative study is based on the results of a lecturers’ survey, which was conducted in 2020 in Russian universities. We filled 134 questionnaires using the Google form. The result contributes to (i) a scientific discussion about the role, meaning, and effects of online courses inclusion into educational programs (in the context of factors and motives for creating and addressing them by the lecturers), and it enriched the scope of scientific literature, dedicated to e-learning in higher education, and (ii) empirical results confirmed that acceptance of online courses in the systems of higher vocational education is viewed through the prism of employment threats.