Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve: A Faculty Playbook - Optimising Higher Education Experiences at Each Learning Touchpoint: Remote ...
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Flattening the Multimodal
Learning Curve:
A Faculty Playbook
Optimising Higher Education Experiences at Each Learning
Touchpoint: Remote, In-Person or Hybrid
SPONSORED BYFlattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
2
A Faculty Playbook
About this report
Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve: • Rebecca Frost Davis, Associate Vice President
A Faculty Playbook is an Economist Intelligence for Digital Learning, St. Edward’s University
Unit (EIU) report, sponsored by Microsoft • Kassie Freeman, founding president
Higher Education, that aims to equip faculty and CEO, African Diaspora Consortium
with effective strategies, methods and tools
to deliver high-quality, engaging and valuable • Douglas Harris, Professor and Department
learning experiences in any modality or setting Chair of Economics, Tulane University
– remote, hybrid (a mixture of online and offline • John Hattie, Professor and Director,
classes) or in-person. In doing so, this report will Melbourne Education Research Institute (MERI),
share best practices to design, facilitate, assess Melbourne Graduate School of Education
and improve teaching approaches to continually
• Michael Horn, author and
enhance student engagement, performance,
Co-founder, Clayton Christensen
learning outcomes, and value at each and every
Institute for Disruptive Innovation
education touchpoint.
• Dr David Conrad Kellermann,
Leveraging compelling insights from faculty Senior Lecturer, School of Mechanical
and student surveys, expert interviews and and Manufacturing Engineering, University
desk research, this report will serve as a of New South Wales (UNSW)
playbook, offering actionable solutions to key • Michaela Martin, Programme Lead,
challenges outlined in the EIU report Bridging Higher Education Policy, Governance
the Digital Divide to Engage Students in Higher and Management, UNESCO International
Education. Specifically, this report will help Institute for Educational Planning
faculty members to navigate the critical barriers
• Christopher C. Morphew, Dean,
to equity and access, digital divides, skill gaps,
Johns Hopkins School of Education
and socioeconomic disparities facing higher
education institutions, professors and students, • Sara Goldrick-Rab, President
across and within different countries (the US, and Founder, Hope Center for
the UK, Australia and Germany), university College, Community, and Justice
sizes (small, medium and large), and subjects • Dr. Stella L. Smith, Associate Director, Minority
(business and management, liberal arts and Achievement, Creativity and High-Ability
humanities, STEM, and professional studies). (MACH III) Center, Prairie View A&M University
It will provide key takeaways from pedagogical
• Dr. Elizabeth J. Stroble, Chancellor,
thought leaders specialising in remote
Webster University
and hybrid learning, student engagement,
design thinking, education technology, and
change management. We would like to thank Marianne Bray is the author of the report.
the following experts for their insights: Emily Wasik is the editor and project lead.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
1 | Higher Education One Year On: Remote
Learning Experiment to Future Operating Model
If ever there was ever a moment for faculty faculty member’s toolkit in 2021 and beyond.
educators to embrace the opportunities A shared sentiment among experts interviewed
presented by crisis and uncertainty, it is now. for this EIU study is that in-person learning will
It has been more than a year since covid-19 remain central to higher education’s operating
disrupted higher education institutions, forcing model, playing an integral role in cultivating
faculty and students in every corner of the world higher-level cognitive skills such as critical
to quickly pivot to remote and hybrid learning. thinking, problem solving and decision making.
Since then, the situation has evolved from “There will be an influx of online and blended
responding to disruption and engaging in opportunities, but they won’t overshadow
“crisis continuity mode” to reshaping future face-to-face opportunities because the market
operating models toward an agile and is still going to desire those at all the different
future-focused learning system. 1 price points, entry levels and institutional types,”
says Dr Stella Smith, associate director of
With sufficient preparation, training, tools and Minority Achievement, Creativity and High
bandwidth, this rapid remote learning revolution Ability at Prairie View A&M University.
has the potential to serve as a “great equaliser,”
affecting almost every academic institution, To navigate this multimodal higher education
regardless of geography, market, type, size landscape, future-forward, personalised
or setting. While digital education solutions student-centred approaches are required to
– including course offerings, models, platforms empower students as active participants in their
and tools – have been a key driver and learning experience and facilitate peer-to-peer
benchmark of notably successful operations collaboration. For higher education institutions,
for some time, remote and hybrid learning that means supporting their faculty with the
has now become the new currency for higher resources and training to adopt leading-edge
education at scale and velocity. technologies, such as virtual and augmented
reality, artificial intelligence (AI), predictive
As a result, faculty members are reimagining analytics and hyper-personalisation tools.
the use of “anytime, anywhere” approaches to
navigate the new multimodal higher education Against this backdrop, this report will provide
paradigm. Now, a year on from the onset a playbook for faculty members to gain a
of the pandemic, the ability to embrace new competitive edge by strategically blending
pedagogical models, methods, tools and their offerings to not only survive but thrive
environments will be mission-critical to every in the face of unprecedented industry disruption.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
Key Takeaways
• One year on from the covid-19 • In-person learning will still be
outbreak, faculty members are integral to the future of higher
moving away from embracing remote education in 2021 and beyond.
and hybrid learning as a “pandemic
experiment” to the new operating • 75% of students agree that
model for higher education. technology and digital tools
will not be a replacement for
• As a result, faculty members are
actual teachers and professors.
rethinking their teaching methods,
• A shared sentiment among
standards, tools, skills and
environments in order to deliver the experts interviewed was
high-quality, valuable and engaging that in-person learning is
learning experiences in any modality intrinsic to cultivating
or setting: remote, in-person or hybrid. higher-level cognitive skills
such as critical thinking, problem
• To truly augment student engagement solving, and decision making.
and learning outcomes, faculty
would benefit from adopting • In order to thrive in the post-
flexible, interactive methods pandemic higher education
and technologies.
paradigm, faculty members
are encouraged to continually
• Nearly one-third (30%) of students
adapt and transform.
said flexible learning and interactive
methods are the most effective way
to boost their engagement. • Students insist that their needs
• Integrating simulations, games be put first, putting pressure
and next generation technologies on educators to deliver and
like VR and AR can enable faculty on institutions to demonstrate
to transform learning experiences. greater value.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
2 | Quality Standards and Expectations
in a New Instructional Age
In order for faculty educators to successfully In terms of technical criteria, the most successful
deliver remote, in-person and hybrid learning courses combined a compelling user interface
experiences, they require a clear definition of and video content with the most effective
success in this new instructional age. Faculty learning tools and analytics. Overall, the research
instructors who are less familiar with remote findings indicated the importance of embedding
and hybrid learning can leverage key takeaways learning analytics to facilitate self-awareness
from alternative online education offerings that and self-evaluation along with peer-to-peer
emerged long before covid-19, along with their reviews and gamification modules to support
quality standards. open assessment models.3
The growth of massive open online courses The European Alliance for Quality of Massive
(typically referred to as MOOCs) over the past Open Online Courses developed a quality
decade can provide key insights. These courses standards framework for MOOCs.4 Their
have offered fully remote education at scale collaborative objective was to develop
around the world for some time – and although and integrate high-quality models, methods
there have been concerns about student and delivery mechanisms that enhance
engagement and the generic feel of some learning processes, methodologies and
of these offerings – the best courses focus on assessments. As a result, the step-by-step
successful pedagogies and tools, alongside framework outlines the specific criteria faculty
quality standards to enhance learning instructors should apply to ensure they design,
experiences. Topping the list of most popular develop and evaluate online courses to meet
MOOCs of all time are Stanford University’s ISO quality standards.
“Machine Learning” and Yale University’s
“Science of Well-Being” offerings, both attracting Since the covid-19 outbreak, quality standards
more than three million enrolments each. have taken on a more integral role across all
educational providers – they now underpin
According to a 2014 study, the key criteria for the rapid, widespread transformation of higher
designing and implementing successful MOOCs education globally, according to Michaela Martin,
can be categorised into two pillars – pedagogical programme lead at the UNESCO International
and technical. On the pedagogy front, Institute for Educational Planning. In light of
researchers found that the highest-rated courses this, faculty have had to rethink their quality
among students and educators were those which assurance procedures, especially given the
engaged students and were tailored to specific shift from traditional, in-person learning to
cultural backgrounds. Employing accurate and digital benchmarking approaches.5 New quality
relevant assessment methods – including online assurance frameworks can track teaching and
tests, quizzes, surveys and peer review – was learning outcomes, institutional performance,
another key pedagogical success factor. 2 operational effectiveness, economic impacts,
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
and technology adoption, as evidenced by the Faculty educators cannot ignore the growing
Middle East Quality Assurance Framework.6 trend away from traditional four-year
This quality assurance process enables instructors programmes towards alternative education
to accurately evaluate their course outcomes and providers such as Udacity that offer students
effectiveness, particularly with tools such as the job-specific skills as part of a dedicated talent
Online Learning Consortium’s scorecard.7 pipeline and lifelong learning. Alternative
education providers have the potential to lower
Beyond assessing pre-pandemic alternative costs for students and increase the value of
education models underpinned by these quality degrees aligning with workforce skills, while
standards, success will also be defined by the also addressing issues of equity and access.
extent to which faculty instructors understand “You have to be tuned in and scan what’s going
and respond to the changing, diverse needs of on in the world and in your environment and
students in the new learning environment. In what your students are actually going to need
particular, there will be an imperative to meet from you,” said Dr Elizabeth Stroble, president,
students’ greater expectations for empathy, Webster University.
flexibility, guidance and feedback in their
learning experiences.
While some students thrive in in-person class
settings, especially those who are already Key Takeaways
disadvantaged, a smaller proportion actually
perform better in online learning environments. • Educators can look to massive
In 2019, 11% of university “Chief Online Operators” open online courses that have
reported that students in fully online classes been operating for a long time
performed better than their face-to-face to see what works – key to success
counterparts.8 Consequently, faculty instructors is understanding the role of
are challenged to balance this range of needs. pedagogy and technology in
Tools and data to effectively engage and respond ensuring that these courses
to students in a variety of learning situations, meet student needs.
and hybrid models that build on the successes of
blended and remote learning, offer opportunities • Adhering to quality standards,
to address the variety of requirements. and checking their courses against
these standards, are key in ensuring
When it comes to the value and purpose of continuous improvement for faculty.
higher education, students prioritise the ability
to secure decent employment after graduation, • Instructors understand the growing
along with personal growth and contributing to and changing needs of their students,
an improved society. 9 With rapid, widespread and prepare them with the latest
virtualisation of every sector, from remote office tools to be workforce-ready amid
work to healthcare and customer service, it is a shift to lifelong learning.
important that students are at the forefront of
this digitisation, starting with their education.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
3 | What are faculty professors saying
they need to succeed?
85%
An effective combination of pedagogical
methods and digital tools can help university
educators to stay at the forefront of innovative
education. Understanding what success Experts are hoping the pandemic
looks like in online courses, adhering to will move this pedagogical needle,
quality standards and meeting student needs and indeed most faculty (85%) are
are critical. As the experience of MOOCs convinced that it has accelerated the
shows, educators should be supported in online learning revolution by a decade,
understanding the variety of pedagogical putting pressure on them to adapt.
tools available to them and leveraging the vast
array of digital tools in an environment that
enhances this type of teaching, and with the
right social and emotional back-up.
Leveraging pedagogical methods that it has accelerated the online learning
in a changed learning environment revolution by a decade, putting pressure
on them to adapt. “The notion of making
To succeed in delivering valuable learning the quality of teaching and the scholarship
experiences and embracing innovation, of teaching a focus in universities is a dream
faculty professors should be equipped that hopefully will be sped up because of
with the right pedagogical methods to Covid,” says John Hattie, professor and
boost engagement, outcomes and value, director, Melbourne Education Research
and to forge online connections and Institute (MERI), Melbourne Graduate
create communities of learners. School of Education.
The pandemic has forced many educators Opportunities now exist for educators
to rethink their teaching methods, particularly to deliver the most up-to-date content,
those in higher education who might consider and to merge technology, platforms and tools
instruction as a necessary corollary to the with top learning strategies and best-in-class
research they rely on to maintain expertise in practices to deliver optimal outcomes to
their field. When teaching is secondary, staying students. The EIU survey showed that students
at the forefront of educational innovation thought flexible learning methods, interactive
is hardly a priority. Experts are hoping the learning experiences, and opportunities for
pandemic will move this pedagogical needle, self-guided learning were the most effective
and indeed most faculty (85%) are convinced means to improve their engagement.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
material, teacher and community, and allow
Chart 1: The Online Learning Revolution them to take control of their own learning
within the emerging digital ecosystem. In this
To what extent do you agree or disagree? scenario, educators move away from being
Covid-19 has accelerated the future of an expert on stage and focus on a student-
virtual education revolution by a decade. centred approach where the teacher becomes
a mentor and ally in learning that is more
emergent and personalised.
39.5% Strongly agree
As educational reform is often one step behind
45% Somewhat agree the skills needed, emergent learning moves the
pedagogical needle from a reactive curriculum
10.5% Somewhat disagree to a proactive one where the subject and
learning outcomes are fluid and move with the
times. Another approach that works well is
5% Strongly disagree
additive learning, which asserts that knowledge
should supplement students’ lives in ways that
Source: Navigating the New Learning Normal of Higher are useful, interesting, and applicable.11
Education (Faculty) survey, November 2020
An educator can now also push beyond the
constraints of time and place, and open up
Professors Susan Bridges and Kathleen Armour the world of simulation, which has vast potential
echoed this view in a 2019 paper, claiming that for higher learning, especially for field-based
integrated, inquiry-based, collaborative designs courses that demand hours requirements to
facilitated through dialogic approaches to be filled. Virtual and augmented reality
blended learning lead to better outcomes.10 and chatbots present the means to transcribe
Such online collaboration enables students authentic real-world scenarios into repeatable
to learn actively and work with professors as and accessible modules.
they would do in a job. “Rather than make
the faculty member do all the rowing, why not With the potential for the digital integration
give all the students oars so that they can pull of learning models to be standardised across
the boat with you? You’ll all go a lot faster, and many educational avenues, an aspect of
they have skin in the game,” says Michael Horn, learning that cannot be overlooked in the shift
author and co-founder of the Clayton to online is social and emotional learning (SEL).
Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation. Research over the past two decades on
Rebecca Frost Davis, associate vice president various school-based interventions has
for Digital Learning at St. Edward’s University, demonstrated that SEL is central to positive
says active learning strategies and community development in terms of physical and
of inquiry models are part of best practice – mental health, moral judgment, citizenship,
they encourage students to engage with the academic achievement, and motivation.12
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
Students and faculty alike have raised the alarm Faculty instructors can look to playbooks
over the long-term impact of a lack of social for insight about which tools are available
or emotional connection in the learning and how to use them – from the initial course
experience. The RULER approach, developed design to final assessment of student outcomes.
by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence In the early days of the pandemic, many faculty
as an online systemic technique for SEL in educators found it challenging to identify which
pre-kindergarten through high school settings, tech tools to use, and the EIU survey showed
offers a template to use for higher education.13 that most universities and colleges implemented
Within the online context, this may call upon basic digital solutions such as video-conferencing
non-faculty staff to become stakeholders in tools, online platforms, web-based resources
ensuring that a student is receiving all they and live lectures. But only one in four faculties
can to be successful both online and offline. created hybrid learning models.
As modalities evolve with developments in At the most basic level, educators use learning
technology, educators must ensure that the management systems to host their course work
rapidly evolving tools do not outweigh the – Blackboard, Moodle and Canvas are the most
quality of learning given and received. popular.15 Before the pandemic, around half used
With online learning, the implications of such systems as a complementary tool, with
the effectiveness of such modalities will 28% using it as a holistic tool, for assignments,
be felt in the short and long term. discussion boards and assessments. This leaves
around a quarter who used the system just to
upload content.16 Experts believe that there is
Leveraging digital tools room for faculty educators to use these types
of platforms more holistically, but also to go
To succeed in 2021 and beyond, faculty further and integrate them with tools that
educators can leverage a wide and growing build communities of learners in collaborative
range of digital tools, while adding value to and engaged ways, supporting the pedagogical
their body of knowledge. As early as 2014, methods mentioned above.
research demonstrated the need for innovation
management in the research-focused “ivory Already, innovative educators are delving into
tower” of higher education, if the sector is immersive technology such as augmented
to remain a sustainable entity beyond 2025.14 and virtual reality, AI and other data-based
A 2020 University of Hong Kong study predictive and analytical tools to build on or
found that only 15% of teachers were beyond these platforms, allowing students to
“progressive innovators” with the qualities experience and interact in different scenarios
to excel in effective online teaching. and time periods from their devices. Education
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
market intelligence firm HolonIQ shows that The results were overwhelming. Faculty found
AI is most useful for testing, experiential learning, that students asked 30 times more questions
tutoring and language. By mapping and when talking to chatbots than when taking part
understanding the ways in which students in class discussions; 60% of these questions
engage with their lessons, AI can help instructors were “meaningful questions”, demonstrating
better adjust curriculums, teaching styles, deep understanding.
and content to suit the speed, learning capacity,
and personality of each student. For example With the advent of these increasingly digitised
in a language course, an AI-driven virtual learning environments, assessment systems
assistant can learn which areas of a conversation and dashboards providing learning analytics,
are more challenging for the student and adjust predictive analytics, intelligence tools, chatbots
its teaching methods accordingly. and success portals will increasingly become vital
to assess the functionality and optimisation of
these educational models, and raise a red flag if
Case Study: HKU Crime Scene students need more help. Faculty instructors will
be incentivised to learn about the increased
The use of immersive technology can be seen in availability of large datasets and powerful
a recent Hong Kong University study titled The analytics engines, and to use the experience
Science of Crime Investigation.17 Educators from of the past to create supportive models, getting
the pathology department joined up with those results through data-driven insights on
from electrical and electronic engineering to performance. This will be critical in helping them
create a course that uses criminal cases to teach monitor, evaluate and respond to the changing
a diverse set of students scientific knowledge needs, expectations and priorities of students.
and inquiry, critical thinking and collaboration. Hyper-personalisation and learning analytics
A key part of the course is when the students will become invaluable aids in education as
co-operate to examine the crime scene, new principles and methods are applied to
interview witnesses and collect and examine 21st-century learning.
evidence. The professors decided to experiment
and gamify the course, building a mobile app
with chatbots supported by artificial intelligence Case Study: Fostering a better
to imitate witnesses and experts inside an model of digital education
interactive, three-dimensional crime scene,
allowing students to explore and collect One educator who is ahead of the curve is
evidence. They designed a physical game Dr David Kellermann at the University of New
board, enhanced by AR, to encourage student South Wales. The engineer was the first to use
collaboration. Learning analytics used log books a suite of interconnected Microsoft software to
and progress bars in the user interface so deliver personalised classes to hundreds of
that students could track their own learning. students, teaching them professional skills on
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
enterprise platforms useful in a work setting.
He tailored these huge classes with topic
channels that students could engage with.
He also created an AI bot that answers student
29%
questions on its own. By using AI, Dr Kellermann
The EIU survey showed that 29% of
was able to automate much of the educational students lacked access to necessary
routine, freeing up time to create a community technology such as working laptops
of learners. AI also provides what he calls and reliable high-speed internet.
“the superpower of analytics” to identify
students who need extra help, tailor
homework to individual students,
and join up groups of students together.
their efforts may be in vain if students are
Optimal environment not in the right environment to engage with
the teacher, their material or their peers.
Even if a teacher has the tools and teaching Connectivity may be the biggest issue.
methods to deliver successful online learning, The EIU survey showed that 29% of students
Chart 2: Technological challenges
Which of the following have been the most significant technological challenges
to your learning experience since the outbreak of covid-19 in your country?
43.9% Adapting to a remote learning environment
40%
28.8%
66%
Professors/lecturers are not prepared to conduct online courses
Lack of access to necessary technology (e.g. working laptops and reliable high-speed internet)
27.7% Lack of access to learning resources / limited information
24.1% Learning how to use new digital tools
21.7% Lack of technological support from my academic institution
21.1% My academic institution’s reliance on outdated technology
0.8% Other
2.0% Don’t know
Source: Navigating the New Learning Normal of Higher Education (Student) survey, November 2020
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
lacked access to necessary technology printers, learning management and classroom
such as working laptops and reliable high- management modules will all play a role, as well
speed internet, with higher rates in developing as distributed computing platforms for creating
countries where internet access is even smart interconnected college environments.
more limited. A quiet space to study is just
as important – 28% of students reported
spending more time and effort to complete Social and emotional support
their workload because they lacked access
to a quiet, productive workspace.
To provide quality online and hybrid
experiences, a faculty educator must have
66%
access to the equipment and space to teach, A striking two thirds of
with tools that are integrated into the students claimed they
classroom. Classrooms need to be set up did not feel mentally
for success, especially when it comes to dual prepared for the
mode learning requiring microphones, cameras coming academic year.
and a seamless integration between offline
and online learners. Faculty professors and
students need access to safe, smart classrooms Beyond curriculum requirements, the active
and workspaces, and an intelligent environment practice of empathy is arguably the most critical
to maximise the power of data. ReportLinker skill for faculty in a digital learning environment.
predicts that the global edtech and smart Almost half of students (47%) surveyed in
classroom market will grow from US$75.24bn the EIU study claimed that they needed to
in 2019 to US$234.41bn by 2027. 18 Projectors, spend more time and effort to complete
interactive displays, interactive whiteboards, their course workload successfully. One in
four claimed that covid-19 had affected the
effectiveness of their study and their ability
to learn. And a striking two-thirds (66%)
said that they did not feel mentally prepared
for the coming academic year.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
Faculty members can support collaborative
community engagement and provide
opportunities for social and political interaction Key Takeaways
on campus and through student groups. Faculty
can also empower students to provide input to
their learning experiences, supporting the design • There are a variety of pedagogical
and implementation of courses and offering methods educators can use,
choice of learning methods and modalities. but it takes an investment of time
Co-operation can stem from a two-way dialogue and effort to learn about them.
between institutions and students about
decisions, investments and priorities. • Experts have highlighted some of
the key pedagogies that work best
The needs of faculty must also be addressed, in the online and hybrid space,
with supportive and empathic community including the community of inquiry
building. Nearly three in ten faculty members in model, flexible active and
the EIU survey said that their institution was not SEL learning.
equipped to provide mental health services for
faculty and students to manage the impact of • To be innovative educators,
covid-19, highlighting a key need. instructors can look beyond learning
management systems and delve
into augmented and virtual reality,
Chart 3: Emotional Wellbeing AI and other data-based predictive
and analytical tools.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
I do not feel mentally prepared for • Faculty professors need intelligent
the coming school year. environments to work from, not
only to deliver their courses, but also
to maximise what the data can tell
29.4% Strongly agree them about the students and what
they most need.
35.4% Somewhat agree
• Just as student needs are important,
the needs of faculty are important,
21.3% Somewhat disagree and supportive and empathic
community building needs to
10.6% Strongly disagree be implemented.
3.3% Don‘t know
Source: Navigating the New Learning Normal of Higher
Education (Faculty) survey, November 2020
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
Table of pedagogies, delivery modes and tools for multimodal learning environments
Pedagogy Models Teaching Modalities Tools/Tech Student Benefits
• Flexible learning • Blend of synchronous • Digital discussion tools • Choice in how to attend
and assessment & asynchronous learning their classes
(scenario- based, • Polling tools
reflective assignments, • Blend of online and • Choice to opt out of
offline at the same • Peer-to-peer learning some assignments
group project,
time (dual mode) and interactive tools
one-minute paper,
(online presentations • Choice in what format
or debate-style discourse)
• Blend of online and offline with commenting to send their work
• Deep learning (e.g. one week online, features, online concept
one week offline) mapping tools) • Can receive varied
• Community of inquiry feedback
• All online (no in-person • Creative collaboration
• Active learning strategies presence, including • Student-centred
MOOCS) • Extended reality,
• Universal Design virtual reality and • Choice in how to
for Learning • All in-person augmented reality structure their degree
(micro-degrees,
• Emergent learning • Flipped classrooms • Animation tools nanodegrees from
different providers)
• Additive learning • Predictive learning
analytics
• Social and emotional
learning • Artificial intelligence
(including chatbots)
• Simulated learning
• Gamification
• Credentialing
• Robotics
• OpenCourseWare
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
4 | Faculty educators need support from leadership
to adapt for a culture of innovation
“The worst possible outcome of Covid is that we in pedagogy, investments in digital tools,
go back to the old system,” says John Hattie, training, equipment and access, upgrades
professor and director of the Melbourne in the teaching environment, and the provision
Education Research Institute. This is one in of wellbeing services.
which academic jargon is conveyed in a fashion
not so different from the philosophers of ancient Investments in technology, tech
Greece. If only a little over one-third of students support and access, tech upskilling
are confident in the ability of their academic
institution to prioritise career development and The Generation Z student population is the
student retention, there must be critical focus most dynamic, with the highest tech
on the skills and characteristics that faculty will expectations, and represented 94% of students
require to deliver high-quality, engaging, and who answered the EIU survey. The majority
valuable learning experiences in a variety of (93%) of all students in the survey believe that
formats, including online. “The first thing online learning will benefit their education.
faculty need to do if they’re going to teach Improving digital literacy should be at the
online is think about any of their preconceived forefront of faculty upskilling, and universities
notions about what can be done online should push back against the narrative that
and move that out of the way so they can faculty will be displaced by technology and
be creative in their vision about online learning digital tools. Three-quarters of students agree
and understand they can be successful on that technology and digital tools cannot replace
an online platform,” says Dr Smith. actual teachers and professors. Better then,
to provide the skills and training to reap
There is no doubt that more work is needed to the best of both.
understand the best combination of teaching
methods, how best to employ the multiple tools Case Study: Webster University
available, and how to build up a rapport online
while gauging and ensuring student success. It is Webster University Chancellor Elizabeth Stroble
also harder for some faculty instructors to track leads a higher learning institution that has been
their students, and others have seen drops in at the forefront of online learning decades before
grades across the board. But as the previous it became an immediate priority. Since the 1990s,
chapter showed, tools exist that will assist with Webster has offered online programs. Through
teaching, assessing and providing quality asynchronous online learning, the university has
learning experiences. To succeed, faculty cultivated an internal capacity to serve students
educators need support from their institutions from across a multitude of time zones spanning
and leadership in four key areas - upskilling Europe and Asia, including a campus in
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
Uzbekistan. As it built out its asynchronous Not only will good teachers use operating
teaching capacity, the creation of its own programs and know how to edit basic audio
platform, Webnet Plus, made it possible for and videos, an adeptness at navigating multiple
someone at a distant location, maybe from programs and windows during a synchronous
one of the university’s campuses or their home course will be crucial. Training is necessary to
or workplace, to tune in to live classes via video manage a live online classroom using talk, chat,
connection. Webster set up its own online slides, polls/quizzes, breakout rooms, and answer
teaching centre with instructional designers questions, Mr Morphew adds. Teachers should
who built content and course shells for every also be able to use mixed media to show a video,
course and established a virtual student access or graphics or simulations to engage the student,
portal where teachers can praise students for a method that does not rely on the faculty
things they do well, but which also alerts them i member to produce it all, says Michael Horn.
f a student is falling behind. In 2021 it services
more than 12,000 students. Prior to the Upskilling professors goes hand-in-hand
pandemic, less than a quarter were fully online. with technology investments – both broadly
The advent of cloud-based tools and learning in technology infrastructure across institutions,
management systems such as Moodle provides and in making sure that students have the
a model for how the transition from pandemic technology and internet access they need to
learning to a sustainable online learning ensure equitable education access. Investments
model can be achieved. may need to be made to ensure that students
have the devices they need to access all
The potential of all modes of learning will be different types of learning, as well as Wi-Fi.
driven also by a faculty’s facility with instructional Given that the highest proportion of students in
design, and whether it is able to use the tech the EIU survey see online course offerings as a
tools available, says Christopher Morphew. The transformative feature of higher education
ability to master tech tools will require a breadth within the next five years, internet accessibility
and depth of skills for which many professors will will be fundamental for any future educational
require training. The EIU survey showed that only model. Over half of the surveyed students
one in four faculties had upskilled staff and report concern about adequate, equitable
increased investments in technology. To move access to the technology and digital tools
beyond video conferences, and to optimise necessary to join online classes since covid-19.
virtual learning, teaching and learning centres Some schools have got round this by loaning
with specialists in pedagogy, instructional devices to students who cannot afford them,
designers and technologists need to collaborate and setting up MiFi spots. Texas-based St.
with professors and support online programming Edward’s University is one of these. Its HOOF
in a fast-moving field where new tools are being fund provides students with emergency funding
developed. Indeed, these centres became the and resources, and it loans laptops and MiFi
first responders when the pandemic struck. wireless routers.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
Alongside tools that allow a professor to deliver According to Dr Kellermann, institutions must
content, tools that foster connections between consider how to leverage their physical campuses
teachers, students and the broader community and at the same time create digital campuses that
will also need investment, as well as those go some way to replicating the human connection
which enhance social and emotional learning. and community that are organically created on
The biggest American edtech funding deals in a physical campus. “There are so many things that
2020 shed some light on where technology is happen on a physical campus and what we
heading. The most investment went to Roblox, have to think about is how do we also make all of
a consumer online gaming platform with an this happen in a digital environment for those
educational component that teaches students who can’t attend classes,” says Dr Kellermann.
how to code and design their own games. Impromptu meetings in the corridor, meeting
Roblox was followed by online course provider friends for a coffee, or the chance to ask the
Coursera and financial management tool teacher a question – Dr Kellermann believes
provider CampusLogic. Handshake, which these opportunities can be captured to some
connects students with employers, rounded degree with live streaming, staying online to
out the edtech companies that sell to higher answer questions, and encouraging informal
education institutions. student dialogue.
Environment
Sufficient mental and
Institutes of higher education are highly emotional support
fragmented and grossly under-digitised,
according to HolonIQ. Technology is needed Research over the past six years shows the
across the entire learner cycle and at every point need to move to a “whole-university” approach
of the learning journey, impacting institutional to student well-being, and to consider the
strategy from marketing to enrolment to relationship between well-being and learning,
teaching to assessment. Teachers need access teaching and assessment, according to the
to the IT infrastructure or classrooms that are UK-based University Mental Health Charter.19
digitally enabled with the equipment needed to There is also a growing consensus among
offer multiple modes of delivery and feedback educators to adopt an emotional and resilience
on performance. Leadership will need to invest in component of teaching, as well-being becomes
upgrading their teaching environments, whether a growing concern amid the pandemic and the
campus classrooms or hubs where students can rapid transition to remote learning. There is
work, and to outfit their classrooms and back significant room for improvement in building
office functions with capacity development and community and offering mental services to
support systems. Digital transformation has the enhance the mental health of faculty members
potential to facilitate better communication and students alike. Moreover, educators must
between departments and reduce the time be empowered to shepherd student career
and cost of servicing students. The best development, beyond disseminating their
investments will stem from faculty feedback academic knowledge. “Our best online
to administrators, identifying what they instructors – before and during the current
need to succeed. pandemic, build community and demonstrate
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
caring for their students with several skills that own. Faculty technical skills may enhance
are similar to how this is done with in-person their teaching effectiveness, but without
teaching-learning – frequent interactions, consideration of student well-being, even
responding to questions quickly, getting to know the most tech-enabled teaching cannot provide
students personally, taking time during and optimal student outcomes.
between classes to check in with students,”
said Christopher Morphew. Setting up students with counsellors and success
coaches, providing telehealth centres, and
Given the circumstances we have all reluctantly ensuring workforce well-being are all part of this
normalised, empathy may be the most important supportive network. It is also important to foster
skill practiced by faculty members (and towards the social and cultural side of the faculty
them) as they engage with students whose lives experience, enabling community engagement,
and futures may be more uncertain than their team bonding, virtual events and talks.
Key Takeaways
• Higher education institutes need to • Investments need to be made in
upskill faculty educators in pedagogical technology and access to technology
methods and in tech tools. for both faculty and students.
• ●Flexibility, adaptability and openness • Money also needs to be spent on
to feedback are key characteristics creating intelligent environments
that should be fostered among and hubs for teaching and learning.
faculty professors.
• Universities and colleges need to
• Educators should be aware of the range set up a whole-university approach
of technical skills – from basic handling to well-being, and consider the links
of learning management systems between well-being and learning,
through to the full exploration of teaching and assessment.
immersive and analytical tools.
• Institutes should promote their teaching
and learning centres and instructional
designers to help educators navigate
the digital ecosystem.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
5 | Faculty need to be supported by partnerships
To accelerate innovation and collaboration with specialised structures in higher education
and drive solutions to higher education’s institutions to support change. A part has to do
collective challenges, leaders will need to look at with institutional leaders supporting this change
partnerships to support their faculty instructors. and part has to do with national authorities
While faculty need to work with students, making sure it reaches a systems level,” says
partnerships will need to extend beyond the one Michaela Martin.
between student and teacher. “One of the big
things that is important about online learning There are multiple opportunities to support this
from a faculty member’s point of view, is that change, including reaching out to stakeholders
it really should be a team sport. It shouldn’t outside the higher education system to boost
be an individual trying to do all of this on their equity and access to all students, experts say.
own. It should really be a faculty member with The EIU survey showed that the overwhelming
an instructional designer with tech support, majority of faculty members agreed with the
and coaches together, offering a really exciting need to embrace tech partnerships amid the
experience,” said Michael Horn. increasing use of tech and digital transformation.
Governments can help to seed innovations
The pandemic has also opened up a space for within the higher education sector, and funds can
teachers and students to partner with those in be part of the equation. This includes working
other institutions around the world, supporting with internet providers to make service widely
education diversity and inclusion. “Imagine if available. Tech companies geared towards
through an online course, students are assigned education were the first to rush in to help,
to work with someone from a totally different and global edtech investment soared in the
background to explore/research a topic? Look first half of 2020.
at all the possibilities of learning to occur – not
just the content, but getting to know someone Academic institutions will also need to work
with different experiences, worldviews and with national educational organisations to set
approaches to problem solving,” said Kassie quality standards, and partner with alternative
Freeman, founding president and CEO, education courses to provide stackable credits
African Diaspora Consortium. and nanodegrees. An example of such successful
partnerships is in India, where a major focus on
To innovate in a way that is inclusive, there need online learning and national massive open online
to be multiple responsibilities across the whole platforms has allowed many more students to
higher education system, experts say. “There will gain qualifications. Before covid-19, students
be a part at the level of the students, a part at could be granted up to 20% of the credits
the level of academic teachers, a part has to do of the programme from these online platforms.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
During covid-19 that has doubled, with the “It will be important to build these strong
government increasing it to 40%. South Korea too partnerships among universities, with agencies,
has an academic credit bank, allowing students to with corporations, with foundations, trying to
earn a degree by depositing recognised learning figure out how you bring resources and talent
credits from different sources, accumulating to still compete and help your students compete,”
them over time. says Dr Stroble.
Key Takeaways
• Student to teacher, student to student • They also need to work with business
and teacher to faculty partnerships to develop tools for education in the
need to be promoted to provide future.
engaging and collaborative learning.
• National agencies need to help with
• Institutes can collaborate globally to setting standards and funding.
expand world-views and different
viewpoints. • New forms of accreditations need to
be pursued, such as nanodegrees
• Universities and campuses need to and micro-credentials.
work with business to seed and fund
innovation.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
Conclusion
Covid-19 served as a catalyst – in both scale With 94% of the world’s student population
and velocity – for the largest and fastest affected by covid-19’s campus closures, 20
global online-learning experiment in history. a critical opportunity presents itself to reset
To navigate this rapid, widespread higher and recalibrate the higher education system
education paradigm shift, faculty members to be more equitable, inclusive and accessible
quickly adapted to personalised teaching for all. Educational innovators have shown
approaches and crowdsourced solutions. that opportunities arise when digital tools
converge with institutions willing to invest in
As they now embark on 2021 and beyond, professors, infrastructure and technology.
it has never been more important for faculty
and academic institutions to pivot from
short-term tactics to longer-term solutions,
and to equip their students with optimal
learning environments and the critical
future-ready skill sets to navigate uncertainty.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
Endnotes
1
”Education Reimagined” published by Microsoft and New Pedagogies, authored by Michael Fullan, Joanne Quinn,
Max Drummy, Mag Gardner.
2
A. M. F. Yousef, M. A. Chatti, U. Schroeder and M. Wosnitza, “What Drives a Successful MOOC? An Empirical
Examination of Criteria to Assure Design Quality of MOOCs”, 2014 IEEE 14th International Conference
on Advanced Learning Technologies, Athens, 2014, pp. 44-48, doi: 10.1109/ICALT.2014.23.
3
A. M. F. Yousef, M. A. Chatti, U. Schroeder and M. Wosnitza, “What Drives a Successful MOOC? An Empirical
Examination of Criteria to Assure Design Quality of MOOCs”, 2014 IEEE 14th International Conference
on Advanced Learning Technologies, Athens, 2014, pp. 44-48, doi: 10.1109/ICALT.2014.23.
4
MOOC. MOOC-equaliity, January 2021
5
K. A. A. Gamage, R. G. G. R. Pradeep, V. Najdanovic-Visak and N. Gunawardhana, “Academic Standards and Quality
Assurance: The Impact of COVID-19 on University Degree Programs”, Sustainability. 2020; 12(23):10032.
6
UNESCO. Education in crisis: are higher education teachers leading in action?: synthesis report, October 2020.
7
https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/consult/olc-quality-scorecard-administration-online-programs/
8
The Changing Landscape of Online Education, 2019 CHLOE 3 Report
9
A. Gupta, “What’s the purpose of university? Your answer may depend on how much it costs you”, January 2021.
10
S. Bridges and K. Armour, “Future directions for undergraduate curriculum design in research-intensive universities”,
Universitas 21. January 2019.
11
M. Darling and C. Parry. “Emergent Learning: Taking “learning from experience” to a new level”, The Systems Thinker
12
J. A. Durlak and E .P. DuPre, “Implementation Matters: A Review of Research on the Influence of Implementation on
Program Outcomes and the Factors Affecting Implementation”, American Journal of Community Psychology 41,
327 (2008).
13
The RULER Approach. Rulerapproach.org, January 2021
14
E. Blass and P. Hayward, “Innovation in higher education; will there be a role for “the academe/university” in 2025?”,
December 2014
15
Data from 2017 show that among institutions in the US and Canada, 28% used Blackboard, 25% used Moodle
and 21% used Canvas. State of Higher Ed LMS Market for US and Canada: Fall 2017 Edition
16
S. Machajewski, A. Steffen, E. Romero Fuerte, E. Rivera. “Patterns in Faculty Learning Management System Use”,
September 2018.
17
Wincy Chan, “Is immersive technology a practical means of engaging students in the new normal?”,
Community of Practice Project
18
“Edtech and Smart Classroom Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Component,
Deployment Type, and End-User”, PRNewswire, November 23, 2020
19
G. Hughes and L. Spanner, “The University Mental Health Charter”, December 2019
20
UN Policy Brief: Education during COVID-19 and beyond (August, 2020)
While every effort has been taken to verify the accuracy of
this information, The Economist Intelligence Unit Ltd. cannot
accept any responsibility or liability for reliance by any person
on this report or any of the information, opinions or conclusions
set out in this report. The findings and views expressed in the
report do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsor.
© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2020Flattening the Multimodal Learning Curve:
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A Faculty Playbook
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