ONLINE STRATEGY DIGITAL FUTURES 2018-2020 - Innovative Research Universities
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ONLINE STRATEGY
2018–2020
DIGITAL FUTURES
Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 1
2 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020
INTRODUCTION
This plan provides a framework into which other
decisions, strategies and operational plans, fit
seamlessly. It introduces the key foci for robust
digital-online development in the next five years in
further detail with focus on a longer term, decadal
vision also in mind.
This strategy includes the following
sections:
1. Mission, Vision and Values
2. Current State Analysis
3. Strategic Priorities and Activities 2018–2020
4. 2025 – What’s Next?
5. The Future and Beyond
Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 1
1 MISSION, VISION AND
GOALS
Mission Vision
To be a university of international To secure success for our students and
standing and outlook, achieving the Greater Western Sydney region
excellence through scholarship, through innovation and discovery in a
teaching, learning, research and dynamic and technology-enabled world.
service to local and international
communities, beginning with the
people of Greater Western Sydney.
Securing Success 2018–2020
GOAL 1
A Distinctively
Student-Centred
University
GOAL 2 GOAL 3
A Research-Led A Research-Informed
University with Learning Experience
Regional, National
and Global Impact
GOAL 4 GOAL 5
An Expanding An Anchor
International Institution, Leading
Reach and Advocate and
Reputation Champion for Greater
Western Sydney and
GOAL 6 its People
A Dynamic and
Innovative Culture
that Secures
Success
2 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020
2 CURRENT STATE
ANALYSIS
In recent years, through careful planning and
operational risk taking, Western Sydney University
has evolved into an institution where technology
and pedagogy progress simultaneously.
History Challenge
The opening of the Peter Shergold (Vertical Developing an online operation at scale is a
Campus) Building in 2016 prompted a significant undertaking. The 2018 Changing
comprehensive review of technology enabled Landscape of Online Education (CHLOE2) report
learning and the dynamics of the classroom. quotes Chief Online Officers at multiple US
institutions stating; “heavy investment to build
Western has continued to move towards blended a large online presence, with an array of many
and flipped courses which provide opportunities online programs and courses, may result in
for student-centred and active learning. This present-term deficits in anticipation of longer-
learning can take place in flexible, tech-enabled term revenues.” The enrolment shortfalls and
environments inside and outside of the classroom. budget restrictions of 2016–2017 at Western
indicated that the partnership option was the
This model has continued to evolve during the only way forward to get to scale (where scale
establishment of the Liverpool precinct and into refers to being the appropriate size for the entire
the future with the planning and implementation institution) with a quality online ‘product.’
of the Bankstown vertical campus.
Southern New Hampshire University; an
Having ventured into online programming both institution similar to WSU in terms of size and
independently and alongside a partner/vendor student demographic (low SES, first in family),
(the Open University UK), in early 2017 it was invested US $14M in 2008–2010 to create online
decided that our online progress be renewed programming in-house with the intent to diversify
with a strategy which promised impressive revenue streams and to grow the institution. An
growth potential with mitigated up-front risk. investment of this size was not an option for WSU
The decision to partner was influenced by the and put into context the value of proceeding with
start-up costs of independently establishing this a partnership. Even with profitability impacted
programming and by the prior relationship where by CGS capping in 2018–2019, these declines are
a partnership “lite” model did not allow Western offset by the benefits of becoming established
to successfully expand enrolments. This prior in the market as a viable online player.
partnership illustrated a number of aspects (course
and unit development, promotion, administration The WSU Online partnership relationship has
and student services) where Western needed helped us to articulate future possibilities to school
additional resources to support fully online staff and has set the standards for minimum
students in a contemporary, competitive manner. (Western) expectations of our online offerings.
Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 3
3 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
AND ACTIVITIES
Strategy 1
A major challenge for institutions as delivery
CONSISTENCY formats and materials development continue
to evolve, is the capacity to meet quality
ACROSS SCHOOLS/ standards at scale. A fundamental part
of that challenge is the ability to deliver
QUALITY AT SCALE consistent environments and quality as well
as accessible materials in digital formats.
MID-LATE 2018 The centralising of the formerly dispersed Blended
Learning team has provided the opportunity
to standardise formats and practices across
the institution, launching new protocols for
Learning Management System templating and
a new system for multimedia development.
This consistency provides enhanced Learner/
User Experience (LX/UX) perspectives with a
focus on student intrinsic motivators moving
our course and unit standards to our stated
targets using the Quality MattersTM (QM)
rubric. This will represent quality, accessibility,
consistency and the best in contemporary unit
and course design and delivery at Western.
We have developed a timeline to keep staff and
schools on track with our strategic steps:
àà Early 2018 – reviewing SUPPORT – building
trust, relationships and assessing school needs.
àà Late 2018 – developing EFFICIENCY –
templating, disseminating best practice and
managing.
àà 2019 – assessing EFFICACY – launch of new
models for intrinsically motivating, Content
Enhanced courses, scalable builds and
Analytics to review the impact on student
engagement and learning.
àà 2020 – looking to EXTEND – scaling and extend
exemplar models to become standard practice
for WSU courses.
4 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020
A second means of providing quality at scale
and consistency across schools is through our ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THIS PRIORITY:
new Western One Stop (WOS) studio system.
àà Provide support getting Schools over the
WOS is Western’s interpretation of a system line in Term 1 2018.
initially launched in 2015 at Penn State University àà Confirm ITDS role in unit/vUWS set up,
as the One Button Studio. With minimal allowing DFT to focus on course and unit
preparation and limited support, staff users are production at scale.
empowered to create quality, personalised video
using tools and software that they are comfortable àà Develop and test vUWS template in staging,
and familiar with. This DFT-created resource ready for deployment in Term 2 2018.
will change the way academic staff view video
àà Socialise all concepts in the Schools,
production, facilitating currency and vitality in
addressing concerns and readying for roll
online and blended courses. A leading CEO of an
out.
internationally renowned educational software
development company (Panopto) has already àà Roll out of multiple (six planned) Western
referred to this (WSU-developed) system as unlike One Stop (WOS) studios.
anything he has seen in Australia or overseas.
àà Select units and courses for initial content
Plans are in place for six WOS studios in late 2018 enhanced builds.
and early 2019. Whether we return to the pursuit àà Ongoing support and review of workload
of an aggressive growth agenda, or focus on and impact.
currently offered blended and flipped options,
our goal is to become a recognised international àà Scale across the institution.
leader in course and unit design and delivery.
Figure 1 – Western One Stop (WOS) studio.
Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 5
Strategy 2 EARLY 2019
ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THIS PRIORITY:
DIFFERENTIATED ONLINE
àà Continue with the Adaptive Learning pilot
AND BLENDED COURSE programmes in Literacies, Mathematics and
PRODUCTION MODELS LANTITE support in 2018, reviewing the
effect of the platform and the pilots with
defined target audiences. Explore adaptive
learning for credit bearing critical (high
2018 started with a focus on the continued
enrolment, high attrition) units, with a focus
enhancement of the Digital, Cultural and
on International students.
Professional Literacies Readiness adaptive
platform to support students in key competencies àà Launch a Content Enhanced model for
at the University after its launch with nursing heavily blended and fully online (non-
students in Q1 2018. The ongoing concern partner-developed) courses and units.
in many Schools regarding these Literacies Content Enhanced is a model that is
indicates the value of this project. scalable and builds on our established
Online Education Services (OES) with
Following on from that project is the development learnings from Adaptive Learning units,
of a dedicated LANTITE platform (working delivering an affordable, scalable, engaging
with School of Education), and a SAFF-funded DFT-produced format.
Extending Numeracy project. All projects’ efficacy
will be reviewed through the tracking of student àà Learning Analytics functioning at an
outcomes and the lessons learned will be applied effective level to monitor and refine the
to our in-house development models. 2019 will various formats of delivery based on
see a finalised strategy and implementation empirical evidence.
of Adaptive Learning (AL) in selected high àà Explore and extend pilots, reviewing the
enrolment, high attrition units in selected schools. potential effect of gameful design principles
to enhance student (intrinsic) motivation.
At scale, an analytics-informed, Content Enhanced
(CE) learning model which implements adaptive àà Develop the full development strategy for
learning principles across Western units will key (high enrolment, high attrition) units in
also be developed to integrate key principles Schools.
in a sustainable, in-house produced model.
ACCESS FOR ALL
Western is committed to supporting and assisting current and future students with disabilities to reach
their full academic potential. Using elements like subtitles for learning materials and transcripts of video
content, DFT aims to make content more accessible to better support students with disabilities and all
students, including those from non-English speaking backgrounds and new arrivals to Australia. We are
also committed to incorporating international accessibility standards into all projects.
6 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020
Models for Digital Delivery at Western
INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPED
CONTENT (IDC)
ààEasy to use
ààTemplated
ààSupported
Figure 2 – Templated vUWS (Blackboard) SGSM site -
launched Q2 2018.
CONTENT ENHANCED (CE)
ààProduced
ààHigh engagement
ààUser-experience focused
Figure 3 – Northeastern University’s Online Experiential
Learning Team’s Content Enhanced model.
ADAPTIVE/PERSONALISED
LEARNING (AL)
ààComplex units
ààMultiple learning pathways
ààIntrinsically motivating Figure 4 – Student Digital, Professional, Cultural Literacies
adaptive program.
Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 7
EARLY 2019
Strategy 3
SYSTEMS
With the implementation of the Ellucian
(Banner) system, there will be opportunities
to automate and expand many features that,
to date, we have had to manage as non-
automated processes. This has resulted in
challenges in regards to delivery on an overall
scale. Seamless integration and automation of
tasks between the Student Information System
(SIS) and the Learning Management System
(LMS) should be a priority. While there are
always exceptions to the automated majority of
operations, a shift away from non-automated/
manual procedures will remove many barriers
to effective course and unit development.
Partner integration of systems should, where
possible, also be automated with those systems
which promote speed and appropriate access
for authorised individuals. To get to scale and
to be competitively prompt with processes
like Advanced Standing Management, data
flow must be smooth and a shift from manual
or complex processes encouraged.
2018 is the appropriate time to begin a full review of ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THIS PRIORITY:
the Learning Management System with two years
of the current Blackboard (vUWS) contract to run. àà Continue to work collaboratively with the
The DFT, working with ITDS will review options SIS implementation team to ensure that
and make a recommendation within the year. all School and Partner implementation
requirements are met currently and in
scope for the Ellucian implementation.
MANUAL PROCEDURES Training for Schools, with related policy
work to ensure data integrity in the SIS.
AUTOMATION/INTEGRATION àà Training for Schools, with related policy
work to ensure data integrity in the SIS.
=
àà Working group developed for LMS review.
EFFECTIVE COURSE & UNIT DEVELOPMENT
àà LMS Review prepared by end of 2018.
8 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020EARLY 2019
Strategy 4
DIVERSIFICATION – EXEC
ED AND INTERNATIONAL
The main educational platform at the University,
is vUWS, running on the Blackboard system
which supports WSU credit-bearing, traditional
programming. OES, our partner for online courses
runs the Canvas LMS platform which they host and
manage. Beyond these managed environments
there is a need for an alternative that will allow
faster, easier access and will facilitate flexible,
experimental programming.
A pilot initiative in 2018 will host a number of
Executive Education short courses and, potentially,
some International initiatives. This platform work
will also provide potential extensions of 21C
Projects – providing an environment beyond the
LMS that can be linked to from multiple sites.
ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THIS PRIORITY:
àà Negotiate and develop a number of pilots
with an alternative provider (funded by the
Office of the PVC-Digital Futures).
àà Assess the efficacy of the programmes,
analysing whether to extend on the
selected platform.
àà Target 6 Exec Ed (short) courses by end of
year.
àà Develop a long term (online) International
engagement strategy.
Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 92020
Strategy 5
WESTERN X
With the support of SEEK and OES as partners,
we have been exploring a disrupted model of on-
demand education at the University.
Specifics are not yet determined though we will
explore and extend 21st Century key competencies,
(stackable) microcredentials and means of
accentuating student centricity; including flexibility
over assessment formats and (online) experiential
opportunities.
Conversations have progressed with potential
partners offering non-traditional awards,
accentuating essential/employer-sought-after skills.
ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THIS PRIORITY:
àà Collaborate with SEEK and OES staff to
determine mission and resource alignment.
àà Liaise with student experience office, ITDS
and OQP to align product with a viable,
quality approved model.
àà Socialise at Western, gain support from all
involved parties at the institution.
àà Process through governance (as
appropriate).
àà 2020 target launch of this differentiated
product.
10 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 11
Strategy 6
FACILITIES - PRECINCTS/
XR AT SCALE
Alongside 2018–2020 online initiatives, DFT
is collaborating with ITDS, and a number of
campus academic/research staff to promote an
Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR)
strategy.
The initiative will include a showcase of
possibilities, a teaching element, research and
means of attracting and working with clients on
real world/authentic (extension of 21st Century)
projects. 2020–2023 will see dissemination of the
first year of learning and implementations out of
this central unit. This will extend to support and
enhancement of online initiatives and AR/VR in all
campus facilities.
ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THIS PRIORITY:
As a starting point, the second half of 2018 will see
àà Assimilation and review of work being done
VR representations of elements of lab training for
at the institution, alignment of contributors,
online nursing students co-developed with OES as
platforms and technology reviews.
featured in Figure 5 below.
àà Development of AR/VR proposal and
timeline (May 2018).
àà Approval and funding for the AR/VR
strategy.
àà Conferences supported in 2018 and 2019.
àà Growth and extension of the WSU library of
AR/VR resources and facilities.
àà Supported development of learning objects
and an ongoing, evolving strategy to
enhance the online student experience.
Figure 5 – WSU-OES Nursing 360 VR Experience
12 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–20202020–2021
Figure 6 – Possibilities: Rutgers Holodeck classroom.
Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 134 2025 –
WHAT’S NEXT?
Students will have opportunities to participate
in all Western academic experiences from
anywhere (any campus, any location)
through use of digital tools and systems.
Students and their “Academic Partners”/
mentors will be able to access the classroom
from anywhere in the world and the world from
any classroom at Western. Mobility will support
radically evolved student lifestyle experiences
where real world experience will plug back
into just-in-time resources and mentoring
whenever and wherever the student needs it.
Subscription models will be common where
students pay a manageable quarterly fee to
access content and resources that are individually
tailored to their career goals and that keep
evolving based on student strengths, weaknesses
and interests. All learning experiences will involve
community engagement, service components
and internships (including virtual) in Next Gen
Open learning environments that will encourage
widespread participation and bespoke experiences
beyond the confines of current day LMSs.
Replacing classroom hardware, seamless Heads-
Up Displays (HUDS) will equip learners with
information, feedback of performance, and social
data in real-time. All experiences will be Artificial
Intelligence (A.I.) augmented, with materials
and support facilitated with virtual/automated
support for students, cross-referencing feedback
with research findings to provide scientifically
backed recommendations for instructors on
how to improve teaching further. Text analytics
is developing at a faster rate than ever before
and is about to revolutionize the way we
handle large amounts of written comments.
The student experience will become gameful with
adaptive learning driving continual feedback and
encouragement to Level Up - clearing barriers
signifying competencies that will stack up to targets
14 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020and goals equating to what we used to call credits. All
2028 awards will be portable; Blockchain-validated
and usable/recognisable globally at all accredited
institutions. Most students will sample education at
a variety of institutions though, given our design/
motivation excellence, we will entice and retain
students at significantly higher levels than most.
Certificates of achievement and performance that are
social, portfolio-based, and self-selected will replace
institutional certificates, including college degrees.
Bankstown precinct will be Western’s first opportunity
to step towards this vision with a refreshed model of a
Tech-Enabled classroom, widespread implementation
of multi-media and AR-VR initiatives. A full review
of the Parramatta and Liverpool implementation is
currently being undertaken to ensure progression
and integration of technologies into new curriculum
initiatives.
DIRECTIONS TO ACHIEVE THIS PRIORITY:
àà Consistently invest in and evolve Learning
Analytics beyond current capacity. This
will become the fundamental element in
tracking progress and providing feedback
to students.
àà Analytics and data driven decisions have to
be embraced with regard to instructional
design; materials development and efficacy.
àà Adaptive/Personalised learning is scaled and
evolved to incorporate flexibility of learning
and greater evidence of intrinsic motivation.
àà Initial AR/VR implementation (XR) is
supported and expanded across the
institution.
àà Artificial Intelligence systems and Bots
are implemented for student support/
mentoring and providing feedback
(replacing surveys).
Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 155 THE FUTURE AND
BEYOND
2021
2023
2024
16 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–20202025
2027
2030
Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 17APPENDICES
Western Sydney Western Sydney
Western Sydney Academic
University Online University DFT
University Online Engagement Manual
(OES) Operations Technology Enabled
Briefing Book WSU Online
Manual Learning (TEL) Flyer
Western Sydney University DFT
Technology Enabled Learning (TEL)
Online Resource
https://dft.westernsydney.edu.au/tel/
18 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020 19
V1.0/August 2018 20 Digital Futures Online Strategy 2018–2020
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