INTRODUCTION

With the emergence of new forms of technologically supported processes of teaching & learning, including the expansion of blended and online education, HE institutions are confronted with a range of important choices, challenges and potential pitfalls in relation to the desired direction and speed of the technological change they want to pursue.

In the section of the course, participants are introduced to several topics around technological change that are of interest and relevance in the context of higher education institutions. In subsequent modules the following topics will be covered:

3.1 How to map the EdTech ecosystem of your institution

3.2 How to decide what tools to support and what to not support

3.3 HR development and maintaining staff competences

3.4 How to ensure access to your content

3.5 How to use data to support strategic decisions

We will start with Module 3.1, which aims at encouraging participants to look into the range of technological tools that are (potentially) available within their own HE institution.  The module will introduce the concept of an ‘institutional EDTech ecosystem’ and how both a clear design of this ecosystem as well as better awareness and understanding of it amongst teaching staff could benefit all processes of teaching & learning

Module 3.2 connects educational technology to the overall learning support services of an HE institution and analyses the wide range of ‘tools’ that are available on the basis of the essential question: what is the purpose and benefit of this technology/tool for higher education?

In Module 3.3, participants will look at how digitisation and technological change has a direct impact on the way people work and influences the relationship between employees and their managers/leaders. Consequently, HE institutions should critically assess their policies and practices around Human Resource management and staff professional development in relation to technological change, for which this module provides concrete suggestions.

Module 3.4 looks specifically at Learning Management Systems (LMS) that have become essential educational technology tools in most HE institutions. The aim of this module is to to help participants to understand the wide range of functions an LMS can provide to support not only teaching & learning but also other functions in relation to educational management, monitoring, quality assurance etc. This module also gives an overview of the main criteria that participants can use to select a LMS and/or analyse their existing LMS to improve its performance within their institutional learning ecosystem.

Finally, in module 3.5, technological change is addressed in the context of how it has revolutionised the possibilities for gathering vast amounts of data. More specifically, this module aims to familiarise participants with different tools that can support HE institutions in the collection, analysis and reporting of educational data to support strategic decisions.