Ongoing Projects

  • Duration

    2017–2024

    Principal/Sponsor

    FernUniversität in Hagen (University of Hagen), Institute of Education and Media Research/Chair University Continuing Education & Teaching and Learning

    University of the Future Network (UFN)

    Abstract

    The growing necessity of reforming the education system is based on the need to address the changing world of the 21st century. Higher education institutions like other educational institutions are on the cusp of major disruption created in part by globalisation, digitalisation and recently the growing pandemic caused by Covid-19. Never before has the education sector being challenged the way it has been in the last few months and it illustrated that changes can happen faster than expected. Yet, we will have to change our thinking about future developments in higher education as response to Covid-19, see UFN-manifesto.

    The research focuses on the future of teaching and learning in higher education. It conceptualizes as a future study and aims to identify forward-looking indicators and strategies to implement teaching and learning policies in higher education. This will be achieved by bringing together international experts from different fields, e. g. higher education, economy, public sector, to provide visions for the future of teaching and learning. Thus, the study aims to chart visioning paths to desirable futures with a goal setting and strategy developing function and to provide perspectives in relation to research and innovation.

    The study is framed by interviews that were conducted in 2017 at the UFN-Meeting in Hagen as part of the study Hochschulen der Zukunft and interviews with experts in 2018. Central themes regarding the university of the future could be elaborated. These finding were expanded by three rounds of focus group discussions which were conducted between May and June 2020 with a panel of UFN experts to respond to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic. Based on the findings a Delphi survey is going to be conducted by end of 2020 which until 2024 aims to lead to visionary scenarios for the future of teaching and learning in higher education with a time horizon by 2030.

    Participants

    • Prof Eva Cendon, Institute of Education and Media Research/Chair University Continuing Education & Teaching and Learning, FernUniversität in Hagen (University of Hagen)
    • Prof Mpine Makoe, Institute for Open Distance Learning, University of South Africa
    • Dorothée Schulte M. A., Institute of Education and Media Research/Chair University Continuing Education & Teaching and Learning, FernUniversität in Hagen (University of Hagen)

    Supported by the members of the University of the Future Network

    Further information

    Findings/Publications

    Schulte, Dorothée; Cendon, Eva & Makoe, Mpine (in press). Future Scenarios for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and the Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

    Schulte, Dorothée, & Makoe, Mpine (2020). Accessibility and Inclusivity in Higher Education and the Impact of Covid-19: Implications for active citizenship and university lifelong learning. In Abena Dadze-Arthur, Anita Mörth, Francesca Uras, Susan Dennett, Ester Martínez, Juan C. Rodríguez, . . . Heribert Hinzen (Eds.), eucen Studies. eJournal of University Lifelong Learning: eucen ULLL Open Fora 2020. Vol 4, No 2 (pp. 37–43). eucen Electronic Press, 2020.

    Schulte, Dorothée, Cendon, Eva & Makoe, Mpine (2020). Re-Visioning the Future of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Report on Focus Group Discussions for the UNESCO Future of Education Initiative. University of the Future Network. Retrieved from https://unifuture.network/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/08/20200722_UFN_UNESCO-report_fin.pdf

    Schulte, Dorothée & Cendon, Eva contributed by Hochberg, Jana & Wild, Rüdiger (2019). The Digitalization of the University of the Future. Visions on the Future of Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age. [Video] Retrieved from https://de.offene-hochschulen.de/themen/the-digitalization-of-the-university-of-the-future

  • Duration

    2020–2023

    Principal/Sponsor

    Digitale Hochschule NRW

    Federal Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

    Description

    The project aim is to enable suitable teaching within the framework of a responsible design of the digital transformation. While the project consists of three components that interact at different levels of action, the main aim is to develop and establish the Teaching in the Digital Age programme, which addresses newcomers as well as digitally experienced teachers.

    Stakeholders

    Connected to the Prorectorate for Student Affairs and Diversity:

    Vice-Rector Prof. Sebastian Kubis

    Dr. Annabell Bils & Dr. Michael Hundt (Rectorate Staff)

    Project members involveld in the project component "Teaching in the Digital Age":

    Magda Zarebski (Programme Developer)

    Prof. Dr. Eva Cendon (Member of the Steering Committee)

    Consortium

    Universität Siegen (Lead)
    FH Aachen (Co-Lead)

    Fachhochschule Bielefeld
    Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
    Technische Hochschule Köln
    FH Münster
    Hochschule Niederrhein
    Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe
    Universität Duisburg-Essen
    FernUniversität in Hagen
    Universität zu Köln
    Bergische Universität Wuppertal
    Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln

  • Duration

    12/2020–11/2022

    Principal/Sponsor

    European Commission, Erasmus + Strategic Partnerships

    Abstract

    The objective of the ONE meeting project is to strengthen the ability to engage in productive virtual collaboration within strategic and structured international projects in order to reduce the travel and related environmental impact as well as to be better prepared for unforeseen, disruptive events like the Covid-19 pandemic. The ONE project’s goal is to increase the environmental knowledge and virtual communication/collaboration competences of HE leaders and staff, to carry out multi-national projects successfully with only ONE transnational partner meeting.

    On completion, ONE will have made it possible for project managers and HE staff to access effective, practical resources on virtual communication and collaboration as well as project management competences, which they can directly apply to their (future) international projects. ONE provides a reliable means of advancing systemic changes in approaches on how to conceive, plan and deliver transnational projects, both at national and international level.

    Project partners

    Prof. Dr. Eva Cendon, Dorothée Schulte, Magda Zarebski, Anita Mörth (FernUniversität in Hagen)

    University of Jyväskylä (Finland)

    Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Spain)

    Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca (Italy)

    Canice Consulting Ltd (United Kingdom)

    Momentum (Ireland)

    EUCEN – European University Continuing Education Network (Belgium)

    Tools employed

    tools for virtual collaboration and communication, tested, evaluated, and experience-shared

    Key experience

    In ONE we are both, actors and investigators of our experiences from virtual, collaborative work in a transnational project. We will show how to run transnational projects with only ONE transnational partner meeting by achieving it ourselves through the project and sharing the lessons.

    Findings/Publications

    FernUniversität in Hagen [FeU] (Dorothée Schulte) (2021). ONE Environmental Policy. Retrieved from https://www.theprojectone.eu/environmental-policy/

    FernUniversität in Hagen [FeU] (Eva Cendon, Dorothée Schulte & Magda Zarebski) (2021). ONE-Manifesto for Agile Project Management. Retrieved from: https://www.theprojectone.eu/manifesto/

  • Duration

    10/2022 - 09/2024

    Sponsor/Funding

    Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Digital Education Initiative

    Description

    The joint project “LearningNewLearning2 (LNL2): Digital qualification offers for a new way of education” is part of the initiative Digitale Bildung (engl.: Digital Education) of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Building up a so-called Nationale Bildungsplattform (engl. National Education Platform) is the goal of this initiative.

    Our project focuses on learning and teaching in an increasingly diverse and digital living environment, and on shaping a sustainable and inclusive society. The project is characterized by an interdisciplinary cooperation between universities and civil society organizations. The team in Hagen is involved in designing a complex curriculum that also includes our approach to adult education, and the interlinked development of modules about future 21st century skills.

    NeLe – Campus für eine Neue Lernkultur (engl.: Campus for a New Learning Culture) – is the result of this collaborative project. As an open, digital networking infrastructure, NeLe provides a digital home for the following topics: new learning (culture), teaching and school development, as well as 21st century skills. NeLe is initially aimed at educators, especially teachers and principals, and will be launched during the upcoming school year. Later, the platform will be open to a broader educational community beyond institutional borders. NeLe supplies collaborative working and learning opportunities, self-directed learning units and supplements existing educational resources and provides support of individual educational pathways.

    New Learning means to learn collaboratively and cooperatively, to act and to deal with digital realities in a reflective way. Following our understanding of a new learning culture, learners are empowered to self-determined, lifelong learning in a digital reality of life, as well as to understand and actively shape the change within society. For this purpose, we develop an accompanying concept that puts these ideas into practice.

    Project goals

    At the end of the project, NeLe-Campus will be a modern, learning path-oriented educational offer, realized via a cross-institutional, -methodical and -technological curriculum, based on the field-tested Kiron Campus software. While using NeLe educators experience support in various, innovative learning settings. As users, they can utilize, test and evaluate existing and self-developed learning settings in order to then transfer them directly to educational institutions.

    To achieve the intended learning objectives, such as developing methodological knowledge and digital competencies, NeLe provides digitally supported learning opportunities for educators. The goal during the funding period is to develop and build courses that deal with digitally supported learning itself, and with learning in a world that is constantly changing due to digitization. In addition, the project has established quality control for the platform's content, collaboration opportunities, and user-generated content.

    Project partner

    FernUniversität in Hagen:

    Department of Adult and Continuing Education

    Department of Empirical Educational Research (German)

    Center for Learning and Innovation (ZLI) (German)

    Project Management: Prof. Dr. Eva Cendon and Prof. Dr. Julia Schütz

    Project team members: Dr. André Biederbeck, Sarah Burger, Chatharina Effern, David Lakotta, Sara Rreshka, Moritz ter Meer

    Network Partner (german websites)

    Kiron Open Higher Education gGmbH

    Pacemaker Initiative von EDUCATION Y e.V.

    Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg

    Karlsruher Institut für Technologie

    Teach First Deutschland gGmbH

    Bundesverband Innovative Bildungsprogramme e.V.

    Related links (german websites)

    Project Profile for LNL2: https://bildungsraum.de/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=46236401

    Department of Empirical Educational Research Publication on LNL2: https://www.fernuni-hagen.de/bildungswissenschaft/empirische-bildungsforschung/forschung/projekte/laufende-projekte/learningnewlearning.shtml

    Center for Learning and Innovation Publication on LNL2: https://www.fernuni-hagen.de/zli/ueber-uns/aktuelle-projekte.shtml

    Hagen Manifesto: https://newlearning.fernuni-hagen.de/das-hagener-manifest/

    Concept paper LearningNewLearning: https://www.pacemaker-initiative.de/lnl-konzeptionsphase

    Kiron Campus: https://campus.kiron.ngo/